Until Death Do Us Part
by Ultimate Queen of Cliffies
Summary: She didn't look good, but she also didn't look dead. She was probably just tired. He couldn't blame her. She just needed to rest and then she would be okay. Fiyeraba, post-musical. Warning: major character death (but I swear it has a happy Fiyeraba ending).
1. A Miracle

**AN: Here it is... the infamous fic in which I kill off Elphaba. No matter what, though, I promise you all a happy ending.**

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**1\. A Miracle**

Prince Fiyero Hamold Tiggular of the Vinkus was pacing up and down the hallway restlessly, stopping and cocking his head every now and then as he listened for a sound that might tell him what in Oz was going on.

Not for the first time, he softly cursed the midwife under his breath for sending him away. He had heard that a woman being in labour was not a pretty sight – plenty of people had warned him about that. He understood that, but it had not mattered to him. He loved his wife and he wanted to be there for her. She was going through one of the hardest and most painful things a woman could go through in her life and _he was not allowed in the room with her._ He felt like punching the wall out of mere frustration and helplessness.

He winced when he heard her scream again, followed by the soothing voice of the midwife and Glinda's high-pitched squeaks, though he could not hear what was being said. He closed his eyes and leant his forehead against the wall, pretending that Elphaba could feel the waves of love and reassurance he sent her way in his mind. Glinda had always told him that positive thoughts could help if you sent them to others. Personally, he found that thought ridiculous, but he figured it was worth a try, anyway. There was no harm in trying, right?

She was whimpering now and the sound broke his heart.

"It's okay, Fae," he whispered, though there was no-one in the empty hallway to hear him. "It's okay. You're doing great, I'm so proud of you… I love you."

Realising he was talking to a wall, he sighed and resumed his pacing. Curse those stupid customs that did not allow men to be in the room when their wives gave birth to their children. Curse his father for wanting to stick to those customs. Curse the midwife for sending him away. Curse Mother Nature for not making this quicker and less painless for Elphaba. Curse all of Oz for –

His train of thought was interrupted by another scream and he actually punched the wall this time, immediately regretting it when a stab of pain shot through his hand and his knuckles started to bleed. He cursed again under his breath, wiping his hand on the hem of his shirt. How could they expect him to just stay out here, unable to do anything at all as he could hear his wife being in excruciating pain?

When he saw his father approaching him from the other side of the hallway, he glared at the older man.

"If looks could kill," King Hamold said drily, "you would be the new king by now."

Fiyero's glare intensified.

Hamold noticed the blood on his son's hand and he shook his head.

"What did you do, Yero?" he asked, taking Fiyero's hand in his own and examining it closely.

"Punch the wall," Fiyero said sullenly.

His father gave him a questioning look. Fiyero yanked his hand back and started pacing again.

Upon hearing another cry from inside the room, he burst out, "It's just not fair!" He whirled around to face his father again, despair in his eyes. "She's my wife, Dad! I love her! I'm all she has… I should be in there with her!"

"Fiyero," Hamold said calmly, "it's tradition that –"

"Who cares about tradition?!" Fiyero demanded gruffly. "Was it traditional for the Crown Prince of the Vinkus to betray Oz by running off with a wanted criminal and leaving his fiancée behind in the Emerald Palace? Was it traditional for him to _marry _said criminal, who also happened to have green skin? We're not traditional, Dad. I don't care about any of that. I just love her and I'm scared and I want to be with her right now!"

"To do what?" Hamold asked rationally. "There's nothing you can do for her, Yero."

"I can just _be there _for her," the prince stressed. "Try to reassure her and make her feel better. Let her know she's doing an amazing job and that I'm proud of her and how much I love her. She's all I have, Dad, and I'm all she has!"

"That's not true," said the king patiently. "Your mother and Glinda are both in there with her, Fiyero, and they'll give her all the care and comfort she needs."

"Glinda is probably going to whine later that Fae squashed the bones in her hand," Fiyero muttered, a ghost of a smile flitting across his face, and Hamold laughed.

"Probably," he agreed. "I remember your Aunt Virgyla's hand being completely bruised after your mother gave birth to you."

Fiyero looked at him. "How did you stand it?" he wanted to know. "The waiting, hearing all those sounds but not being able to do anything… being so helpless?"

Hamold smiled softly. "I hardly did stand it," he said. "I was just like you are now – ready to punch the wall or kick down the door and storm inside to be by Lori's side. But it was worth it in the end. I will never forget the moment that door opened and the midwife came out, congratulating me and telling me that I was a father… that I had a healthy son."

Fiyero smiled, too, and Hamold squeezed his son's shoulder.

"It's worth it, Yero," he said. "Soon it will be over, and then that door will open and your mother will come out to tell you that you are a father."

Fiyero could hardly imagine it.

Apparently, he was not the only one, because Hamold shook his head and laughed.

"I never thought I would see the day," he said, blue eyes dancing. "My son, Prince Dancing-Through-Life… a father."

Fiyero stuck out his tongue.

"You deserve this, though, Yero," Hamold added. "You and Elphaba. You've been through so much, both of you… now, with her name cleared and a safe place to live here in the Vinkus, and soon with a family… you can really be happy."

Fiyero shook his head. "Dad," he said truthfully, "I have been beyond happy every single moment I spent with Elphaba."

Hamold looked at him with an expression on his face Fiyero could not quite decipher.

"I'm proud of you, Yero," the king said solemnly. "You are very lucky to have found a love like that. Many people search for that in their lives, but not many people actually find it. I'm very happy for you both."

Fiyero smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

Suddenly, he realised that he heard no more cries coming from inside the room and he looked at his father hopefully. Hamold tilted his head a little to the side, listening intently.

Then another cry came and Fiyero's shoulders slumped when he realised it was still not over. "How long does this _take_?!"

"Too long," Hamold said immediately. "Think of this, though – for Elphaba, it feels like it's taking at least three times as long as it does for you."

Fiyero grimaced.

To distract himself, he tried to picture what was going on in the room right now. He could envision Glinda sitting perkily on the side of the bed right next to Elphaba, holding her best friend's hand and trying to comfort her and encourage her. The midwife would be there, making sure everything was alright. Lori was most likely on Elphaba's other side, helping her breathe through the pain as she had promised Elphaba she would.

The green girl had been rather nervous about the prospect of giving birth and when she had confessed that fact to Fiyero, he had suggested she go to his mother for some advice. She had, and Lori had explained to both Elphaba and Fiyero what exactly was going to happen and what Elphaba could do to make it as easy for herself as possible. They had practised breathing techniques together and Lori had told her the story of her own experience of giving birth to Fiyero, which had helped Elphaba anticipate what was to come.

He looked at the door. He hoped Lori's tips and stories had helped Elphaba get through it. When she had first realised that she was in labour, she had been rather nervous; but Fiyero had managed to calm her down while Glinda had run to fetch Lori and the midwife. The latter had resolutely kicked him out so that she could examine the green girl, but Fiyero was allowed back in afterwards and he had stayed with his wife right up until the point when she was almost ready to start pushing and he had been ordered to leave again. Thankfully by then she had been a lot calmer already and she had smiled at him as he kissed her one more time and smoothed her hair away from her face.

"I love you," he had told her. "You can do this, Fae, I know you can. You're the strongest and the bravest person I know. You can do this."

"I know," she had replied softly, kissing him again. A flash of pain crossed her face when another contraction hit her, but she had looked up at him with a light in her eyes that he had never seen there before.

"Next time I see you," she'd said, "we'll be parents."

He had grinned like an idiot at that and he had kissed her again. The midwife had practically dragged him away from Elphaba and Lori had all but pushed him out of the door, promising him she would take good care of his wife and telling him sternly to be patient and wait for her to come and get him.

"But you'll come and get me right away, right?" he'd asked her anxiously. "Right after the baby is born?"

"Right after the baby is born," Lori agreed, giving him a reassuring smile. "You will know even before the umbilical cord is cut."

Feeling slightly more reassured, Fiyero had left and Lori had closed the door behind him. He had been out here in the hallway, pacing, ever since.

He stopped again to listen. He could hear the midwife saying something in an urgent voice and Lori responded, sounding a little strange. The midwife said something again and then Galinda spoke in a high, to his ears rather panicked, voice. He tensed, unsure of what was going on, but immensely worried. Was something wrong with the baby? What in Oz was happening in there?

Hamold put his hand on the prince's shoulder again. "It'll be alright, Yero."

Fiyero was about to respond when suddenly, he heard a sound that made all of his worries melt away instantly.

The thin, high wail of a baby.

He held his breath, looking at his father with wide, excited eyes, and Hamold smiled and embraced his son.

"You're a father," he said, his voice muffled and thick with emotion. "Congratulations, Yero."

He pulled away and Fiyero looked at the door longingly, but aside from more voices and the baby's cry, he heard nothing. The door didn't open.

"They're probably cleaning the baby first," said Hamold. "And maybe Elphaba wants to clean up a little, too, after all that. I remember the look of utter horror on Lori's face when I stormed in straight after the midwife showed me you, and your mother was still covered in blood and sweat…"

Fiyero made a face. "I really don't want to hear that about Mum, Dad," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I know what happens during a birth. I've heard the stories. But I don't care what Fae looks like and she knows that, too. She's above all that."

They listened again. The baby cried. The midwife and Lori talked in hushed tones. Glinda shrieked, at which Fiyero rolled his eyes.

"Poor baby," he said, not entirely joking. "Only in this world for less than a minute and already deafened by his godmother's squeals and shrieks."

Hamold chuckled. "Glinda… a godmother." Then his eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a clock-tick. I'm a grandfather!"

Fiyero grinned and clapped his father's shoulder. "So you are."

Hamold had a look of utter wonder on his face. "A grandfather…"

"A father…" Fiyero said in the same tone of voice. They shared a look and burst out laughing, feeling happy, relieved, and giddy with joy.

The door opened and Lori appeared, and Fiyero's gaze was immediately drawn to the small bundle of soft yellow blankets in his mother's arms. Tears sprang to his eyes and his mother said softly, "Congratulations, Yero. It's a boy."

"A boy," Fiyero breathed and Lori placed the bundle in his arms. He stared down at the baby's face in wonder, trailing his index finger down the tiny nose. The baby wrinkled his nose and Fiyero smiled through his tears. "He's beautiful…"

"Yero?"

He looked up. Only now did he notice the tired look on his mother's face and the sadness in her eyes. His father suddenly looked worried, too, and Fiyero's smile faded as his throat clenched shut.

"What's going on?" he croaked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lori lowered her eyes. Fiyero saw the blood staining her skirts and suddenly felt nauseous.

"Mum?"

"I am so, so sorry, Fiyero," Lori said softly and he could hear the pain in her voice.

"No," he whispered, not wanting to believe it. "No, she's okay, Mum. She's okay. She has to be."

Lori shook her head, tears in her eyes now.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she said again, reaching out to place her hand on Fiyero's arm, but he pulled away, still shaking his head.

"There were complications," Lori said. "She lost too much blood and there was nothing we could do… she didn't make it."

Before she had even finished speaking, Fiyero had already pushed past her and into the room. The midwife gave him a sympathetic look when she saw him, but he ignored her and strode straight to the bed, kneeling down next to it.

"Fae?" he whispered, stroking her soft, raven hair away from her forehead. "Fae, look. We have a son." His voice caught in his throat. "We have a son, Fae, please… just open your eyes, sweetheart. Come on, wake up…"

"Fiyero?"

He looked up. Glinda was sitting on the bed on Elphaba's other side, her eyes red from crying, a few stray tears still on her cheeks. She looked horrible.

"She's gone, Fiyero," the blonde choked out, fresh tears bubbling up in her eyes and spilling over. "I'm so sorry… she's gone…"

Fiyero shook his head stubbornly. "No," he declared. "She's not gone. She can't be."

"Yero –"

"No!" His shout woke the baby, who opened his eyes and immediately started crying. Fiyero cried, too, cradling the baby boy to his chest. "No…"

There was blood everywhere. The sheets were covered in it, as well as Elphaba's nightgown and Glinda, Lori, and the midwife's skirts. Elphaba's skin had faded to a lacklustre green. Her hair was sticking to her forehead and her eyes were closed. She didn't look good, but she also didn't look dead. She was probably just tired. Exhausted from giving birth. He couldn't blame her. She just needed to rest and then she would be okay.

He continued to stroke Elphaba's hair, whispering to her all the while. "You can rest now, Fae, it's okay, I know you're tired. You did great. You know that, right? You did an amazing job. Just look at our son, Fae – he's beautiful, just like you… I'm so proud of you, sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. The baby in his arms gurgled softly.

"Fiyero," his mother began worriedly, but he ignored her.

"We should get him out of here," Hamold muttered to his wife, clearly just as worried as she was, and she nodded.

Hamold left the room as Lori gently tried to pry Fiyero away from his wife's body.

"Yero," she said, gently but firmly. "I know this must be very hard to accept, but you need to snap out of it. Can you do that for me?"

"Let go of me!" Fiyero snarled, yanking his arm from his mother's grip.

Glinda's lip trembled. "Fiyero –"

"Just leave me alone!" he growled, returning to his place next to Elphaba. Somewhere in his mind, he registered how cold her skin was and how her chest did not move, but he refused to acknowledge it. She was going to be fine. Elphaba was going to be perfectly alright.

His father returned with two guards. Together, Lori and Glinda managed to take the baby from Fiyero and they hurried out of the way, watching in fear and worry as the guards forcibly took the prince away from his wife.

They removed him from the room, his anguished screams echoing through the hallways of the castle.

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**I may or may not have been pathetic enough to shed a tear whilst writing this.**


	2. Lost Time

**AN: Whoa, I'm blown away by the amount of reviews for this first chapter! Thank you so much!**

**Also, you guys have no idea how hard I have been cackling over said reviews. They were hilarious. Thank you again for making my day.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Stephanie. Happy birthday!**

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**2\. Lost Time**

_One year earlier_

Elphaba wasn't sure how long she had been hiding underneath the trapdoor in Kiamo Ko already. It felt like hours, days, and mere moments at the same time.

It was cold and drafty down there, but she tried to ignore it. She'd been through worse – far worse. This was nothing. Especially not if it was true… if Fiyero was really still alive, and coming for her.

She could hear people walking around above her. First there had been the shocked cries of the farm girl, mixed with the cheers of the Gale Force soldiers and the other Witch Hunters. There had been footsteps and voices, though she couldn't hear what they were saying. Her heart kept on pounding in her chest, she was so scared someone would find her… but no-one did. No-one found the trapdoor, no-one opened it, and no-one dragged her out to murder her for real. Eventually, the footsteps and voices died away, and there was only silence.

The silence was broken by a soft sob that tore at Elphaba's heartstrings. Glinda. Her best friend. She was grieving for her former roommate, unaware of the fact that said former roommate was right beneath her, underneath a trapdoor in the floor, hiding in a small, dark room. It was killing Elphaba to stay put and not call out to her friend, to not come out and reveal herself.

"Elphie?" she heard Glinda say. There was a sniffle, but then Glinda's voice was firmer. "Elphie, I know you're here somewhere. You're not dead. You can't be dead."

Elphaba could feel tears leaking from her eyes, but she wiped them away with the sleeve of her dress and stayed quiet. She couldn't tell Glinda. She'd only endanger the blonde and she did not want that.

"For Oz's sake, Elphaba, you're not even allergic to water!" Glinda wailed. "I know you're not! How can you be dead?"

She cried for a while, and Elphaba cried with her. Then the blonde apparently left, because silence settled over the castle once more. It was not until hours later that there came a pound on the trapdoor, startling Elphaba and causing her heart to leap into her throat; but then she heard his voice. "It worked!"

The trapdoor opened and she squinted against the light as she climbed up. A beaming smile spread across her face when she saw him there… Fiyero. He was a scarecrow, but it didn't matter. He was _alive_.

He let her touch his face and she kissed him, telling him he was still beautiful, even though he did not seem to believe her. She kissed him again then, just because she could, marvelling at his presence. She'd change him back somehow – she'd find a way – but for now, all that mattered was that he lived.

Their moment was broken, however, by a sudden shriek. "I knew it!"

They both froze up in terror, but then Glinda appeared from behind a curtain.

Elphaba gasped and Fiyero winced. "Glinda…"

"I knew it!" the blonde cried again, before throwing herself at Elphaba, hugging her so tightly she almost couldn't breathe. "I knew you weren't allergic to water, Elphie, I just knew it! You faked your own death! How could you do that without telling me?" she demanded. She whirled around to face Fiyero without even awaiting Elphaba's answer. "And you! You were dead! How in Oz did you become a scarecrow?!" She turned wide eyes on her former roommate. "Did you…"

Elphaba nodded, lowering her eyes, and Glinda squealed. She hugged them both tightly. "Oh, thank Oz you're not dead!" She narrowed her eyes. "You weren't planning on not telling me about this, though… were you?"

Elphaba bit her lip. Fiyero avoided the blonde's gaze.

Glinda's eyes widened and Fiyero hastily said, "Glin, it wouldn't have been safe for you! We didn't want to endanger you!"

"Oh, yes, because leaving me _grieving _was the better alternative!" the blonde sneered. She raged at her two friends for a short while before taking a deep breath, composing herself.

"Right. Okay. Here's what we'll do," she said practically. "I'm going to go back to the Emerald City to deal with the Wizard and Morrible and I'm going to start clearing your name. No, Elphie, I won't hear any protests," she said immediately, before Elphaba could so much as open her mouth. "I know what I promised you, but I… I can't. I just can't." Her eyes filled with tears. "I thought I saw you _die _just now," she said, her voice choked. "And it made me realise that… that it was a mistake to promise you that. I didn't go with you, that day we met the Wizard, and now I didn't defend you – I didn't even try to clear your name… I won't be that weak again. I'm going to set things right."

Elphaba hugged her tightly, and Glinda hugged her back before shaking her head.

"You two," she said, pointing at them both, "are going to find yourselves some nice, tiny town somewhere, where you can live in relative safety while I clear this all up. Stay in touch with me. You have to promise me that."

"I promise," said Elphaba softly. She could not just disappear on her best friend now, knowing that Glinda knew they were alive. It would probably be safer for the blonde, but it had been hard enough for Elphaba to fake her own death while she knew how much it would hurt Glinda; she couldn't do something like that again.

Fiyero seemed to understand that, because he nodded, sliding his arm around the green girl's waist. "We promise."

"Good." Glinda smiled widely, tearing up again, and hugged them both once more. "You have no idea how glad I am you are both still alive," she told them, beaming. "I'll fix this. You just wait and see. Everything is going to be alright now." She hesitated, then looked around for Chistery. As if on cue, he approached her and she took the Grimmerie from him, pushing it into Elphaba's hands.

"Glin –" Elphaba protested, but the blonde shook her head.

"I can't read it, Elphie," she said gently. "And now that you're still alive… you might need it." She nodded at Fiyero. "If only to change him back."

Elphaba hesitated, then nodded, accepting the thick magic book. Glinda smiled and then conjured up her bubble.

"I'll find you soon," she promised, before flying out of the window and back towards the Emerald City.

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Elphaba and Fiyero had been living in their cottage in a small Vinkun town for about six weeks, all the while with Glinda trying her best to clear the green girl's name in the Emerald City, when Elphaba thought she might have found a counter-spell.

She hardly ever ventured outside. It was too dangerous. Fiyero was only recognised as the scarecrow who helped Dorothy, which meant the people were friendly towards him; he had arranged the cottage for them to stay in, he ran the errands, and he was, generally, the only one out of the two of them who ever came outside. Meanwhile, Elphaba sat pouring over the Grimmerie and every other book about magic Fiyero brought back from the small town library, trying to find a way to change Fiyero back to his natural form.

He came home that one day to find her nearly bouncing with excitement, her eyes shining and a brilliant smile on her face.

"Yero," she said the moment she let go of him after greeting him with a kiss, "I think I found it."

His face brightened. "You did?"

"I think so." She hesitated. "I… I'm not sure, okay? I could not work. I mean… I don't want you to be disappointed –"

"I won't be," he assured her, drawing her into his arms and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Just try it and we'll see what happens, alright?"

She nodded and dashed off to find the Grimmerie, flicking through the pages until she found the right one. She set Fiyero down on the couch and started chanting the words until the air was static with electricity and he could literally feel the tension building.

When she finished, she kept looking at him expectantly. He held up one gloved hand in front of his face. There was still straw everywhere, and Elphaba's face fell in disappointment.

The moment he moved towards her to try and comfort her, though, he noticed something. It was an itchy scratch, all over his body, as if his clothes were filled with straw and it was now pressing against his skin… but he did not have skin. Right?

He slowly pulled off his glove, revealing the straw underneath. Elphaba shot forward.

"Fiyero, what are you doing?" she asked, slightly panicked, but he didn't say anything. Instead he started brushing at the straw, watching as it fell to the floor… revealing a human hand underneath.

He looked up at the raven-haired witch, who stared first at his hand and then at his face incredulously. Before she could stop him, he had already pulled off his other glove, only to find his other hand underneath the straw. He started clawing at the stuff, yanking the burlap sack from his head and removing the straw to reveal his face, nearly tearing his clothes as he pulled them off, the straw falling in heaps. He shivered, suddenly feeling the cold in the room on his bare skin.

He met Elphaba's gaze. She was just standing there, gaping at him; and then her eyes filled with tears and she threw herself into his arms, pressing her cheek to the warm skin of his chest and then leaning up to kiss him deeply, the way she had kissed him that one night they'd shared in the forest. The way she had never been able to kiss him again since that one night.

He kissed her back, holding her flush against him and even then still trying to hold her closer, tighter. They kissed for a long time, his fingers running through her hair and down her back, while she slid her hands all over his body, marvelling at the fact that it was no longer made of straw.

"It worked," she whispered against his lips after a while. She opened her eyes and looked into his – his sparkling, bright blue eyes, the colour of sapphires. She smiled so widely she thought her face might split in two and then she kissed him again.

"Fae?" he murmured after a while, still holding her, but moving his hands to her hips now, keeping a small distance between them. "Maybe I should put on some clothes first."

She glanced down and then quickly up again, her cheeks reddening. He grinned that lopsided grin at her that she had missed so much and she could not help but kiss him one more time before quickly gathering his scarecrow clothes and handing them to him. He threw them on, but they were too big for him now.

He chuckled. "I should go into the village to find myself some proper clothes," he said, but she shook her head.

"Tomorrow," she whispered, winding her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his again. She could not even describe how much she had missed the sensation of kissing him like this, even if she had only experienced it once before their lives had been turned upside down and he had become a scarecrow. She hadn't been able to get enough of him back then and she couldn't get enough of him now.

For him, it was much the same. For the first time in what felt like forever, he could feel the warmth of her skin, the silky softness of her hair, the fullness of her lips pressed against his own. He could finally _really _hold her in his arms and sense the way she felt there, not having to pretend because he couldn't feel any sensations with his straw body. If it had been up to him, they would have stood there, enraptured in one another's arms, for the rest of their lives and beyond.

Elphaba, however, pulled away after a while. She traced his features and he turned his head to kiss her fingers. She smiled – that adorable, slightly shy smile she always wore when he made it clear to her somehow that he loved her and she did not quite believe him, no matter how badly she wanted to.

"I love you," he said, his voice hoarse with pent-up tears. He didn't want to cry in front of her because she would be worried, but it was hard. A part of him hadn't thought he would ever be able to feel her again, that he would ever be human again… and now he could, and he was, and no words could express the utter joy he felt at that fact.

"I love you, too," she replied softly, burying her face in his neck. He held her and they stood together like that for a long time. Then, he took her hand in his and led her over to the bedroom, where they made up for all the time they had lost.

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**Next chapter will jump back to the present.**


	3. Without You

**AN: If you thought the rest of this story would be flashback-y and fluffy, then you thought wrong. Other than that, though, thanks again for your wonderful reviews! :)**

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**3\. Without You**

_One year later_

The funeral was a few days later.

Fiyero had spent every single day with his wife, sitting beside her and holding her hand whilst cradling his son with his other arm. He talked to her all the time and nothing could take him away from her. The king and queen had considered having the guards take him away again, but they had decided against it, fearing that it would only make things worse.

Glinda, of course, was sad, but managed to hold herself together fairly well. Though pale and quiet, she helped Hamold and Lori with everything, from arranging the funeral to preparing the announcement and making sure Fiyero took care of himself. She brought the prince something to eat and to drink a few times a day, and she gently pried the baby away from him so that she could take care of him, too. Sometimes she talked to the prince and they ended up having an actual conversation; more often than not, however, he would be in his own world, where nothing existed but himself, his son, and his wife, and he would not even acknowledge Glinda's presence. One time he had been crying when she came in, his face buried in Elphaba's neck and hair as he sobbed his heart out the way she had never seen anyone cry before. It broke her heart.

The funeral was quiet and horrible. Fiyero had to be held back by two guards to prevent him from throwing himself onto the coffin during the ceremony. Lori couldn't stop crying, silent tears running down her cheeks as Hamold held her close to him with tears in his own eyes. Glinda was holding Elphaba's child, cradling him to her chest as she watched the coffin with her best friend's body being lowered into the ground. The baby was crying. His high, thin wails mingled with the awful howls of agony and grief that ripped free from Fiyero's throat.

The prince locked himself in a room after that, not coming out for three entire days. He did not eat, he did not drink, and Glinda suspected he did not sleep, either. He refused to speak to anyone and he refused to open the door.

Glinda took care of the baby during that time, with a little help from Lori who, of course, had some experience with babies. They named the small boy Xalo, knowing it was the name Elphaba and Fiyero had had in mind for their baby if it would be a boy. They did not know when, if ever, Fiyero would come out; but they were determined to take good care of his son until he would be able to do it himself.

After spending three days in solitude, Fiyero emerged again, looking dishevelled. He hadn't shaved or washed and his eyes were bloodshot. He still did not speak, not acknowledging anyone in any way. He ate and drank, but only a little. He didn't visit or ask about his son and he didn't seem to hear anything Glinda or his parents were saying to him. Instead, he spent all his time at the cemetery in the far corner of the gardens around Adurin Iir, sitting on a stone bench beside Elphaba's grave and staring at it without moving.

Glinda sat with him sometimes and even though she knew he wouldn't talk to her, she still did talk to him.

"I miss her, too, you know," she said one day.

Fiyero briefly glanced at her before training his gaze on the grave again.

"She was my best friend," Glinda continued softly. "She still is – she always will be. She was the best friend I ever had…" She sighed, a tear slowly making its way down her cheek. She did not wipe it away.

"And it's horrible," she whispered, "the way she died. It should have been a happy moment, one of the happiest of your lives."

Fiyero didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry," Glinda said.

Fiyero slowly nodded.

"Me, too," he croaked.

Glinda's head whipped around and she all but gaped at him, amazed at the fact that he had spoken again after over a week of silence; but she tried not to let her surprise show.

"I know you're grieving, Fiyero," she said, "but this isn't the right way to do it. She wouldn't have wanted it to be like this."

He turned his head to look at her and she took his hand in hers, determined to get through to him this time.

"She would have wanted you to go on," she spoke. "She would have wanted you to try and be strong, to take care of your son… please, Fiyero. I know it's hard and knowing how much you love her, I can't possibly imagine what you must be feeling right now… but we need you. Xalo needs you. Please."

He was still looking at her, tears in his eyes now. "Xalo?"

"We named him," Galinda admitted softly. "Your mother and I. Elphie told us about the names you two had in mind for the baby… she said that if it turned out to be a boy, you would want to name him Xalo."

The tears were still there. "We did."

Glinda smiled carefully. "Will you come inside with me?" she asked hopefully.

He returned his gaze to the grave for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Then he nodded slowly. "Okay."

Trying not to show him how relieved she was, she rose and brushed off her skirts, then held out her hand to him. He took it and stood as well, numbly following her as she led him back to the castle.

Gently yet firmly, she made sure he ate a hot meal and drank a glass of water. She then ushered him upstairs and urged him to take a bath and shave. Like a mother taking care of her child, she laid out some nightwear for him and waited until he was finished before taking him to bed, tucking him in like he was a small boy.

"Just go to sleep, Fiyero," she whispered, hugging him gently. "You'll get through this, I know you will."

She stayed with him until he had fallen asleep and then she quietly slipped out of the room, reassured that he would be alright now.

* * *

"Fiyero?" she whispered, reaching out to stroke his hair, but her fingers touched only air. She closed her eyes for a moment, pained, before opening them again to look down at him.

"He can't feel you," a voice behind her spoke. "He can't feel you, or see you, or hear you. You are non-existent to him. You're dead."

"No," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes. "I can't be. He needs me. My _baby _needs me."

"You're dead, Elphaba." The owner of the voice placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know why you are even still here. It's been too long already. You should go."

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving him. Either of them."

"Elphaba, you have to go," the voice spoke softly. "You have to move on. All the dead move on."

She choked out a mirthless laugh. "I've never been like everyone else. Why start now?"

"Elphaba," the person said urgently. "If you don't leave this place soon, if you keep hanging around here… the portal to the netherworld will close. You won't be able to move on after that. At all. You'll be trapped here forever."

"I can't leave them," she whispered.

"You have to."

She turned around, looking at the entity that had guided her – or tried to do so, anyway – since she had passed away.

"I'd rather be trapped here forever," she said quietly, "than leave them behind."

"You don't understand," he said gently. "You'll be invisible to them, Elphaba. You won't be able to communicate with anyone."

"I'll be able to watch over them," she said. "And I'll wait. I'll wait forever for them if I have to."

* * *

Fiyero awoke with a start and her name on his lips.

He had dreamt about her. He dreamt that she was standing right next to him, smiling down at him as she ran her fingers through his hair. He told her he loved her and her smile widened. She had opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly, she had been dragged backwards by some invisible force. She tried to hold on to him and he tried his hardest to hold on to her, but whatever was dragging her back was stronger, and eventually her fingers slipped from his and she disappeared with a cry of his name.

He looked around him, confused for a moment, before remembering what had happened. He exhaled slowly. He had to be strong now. For his son.

He sat up and rubbed his face with both hands as he tried to wake himself up. He was just about to get out of bed when the door opened quietly and Glinda and his mother came in, the former carrying a tray with food, the latter carrying Xalo.

"You're awake!" Glinda said in surprise, gingerly placing the tray on the desk. She moved over to the bed to hug him. "How are you feeling?"

He shrugged listlessly and she gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Yero." Lori sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped her free arm around him, holding him tightly. When she pulled away, she gently placed Xalo in his arms.

Fiyero looked down at his son, feeling a lump in his throat. A part of him felt incredibly guilty for neglecting him; but another part of him could still hardly bear to look at the baby boy. Everything about him just screamed '_Elphaba_!' at him.

"Be strong, Fiyero," Lori said softly. "For him."

Fiyero swallowed in an attempt to get rid of the lump in his throat, but it didn't work. He nodded.

"I'll try."

Lori smiled tearfully at him and he stared down at his son again, tears pricking his own tears at the sight of the large eyes that were already slowly starting to turn brown, the heart-shaped face, the long limbs… he looked so much like his mother already.

"He's the perfect blend of both of you," said Glinda, as if she was reading his mind; but Fiyero shook his head.

"I don't see it," he whispered. "I only see her."

Lori embraced him again. "Oh, Yero…"

"She's really gone, isn't she?" he asked her in a small voice, the sound of which broke his mother's heart.

"Yes, sweetheart," she whispered, holding him and stroking his hair. "I'm sorry. She's really gone."

He sobbed, clinging to his mother. "How can she be gone?" he asked her in a voice that sounded pathetic even to his own ears. "She's not supposed to be gone…"

"I know, Yero." Lori kissed his hair and rocked him back and forth, like she had done so many times in an attempt to sooth him when he had been upset as a little boy. "I know."

* * *

**I suppose you all hate me again now? *jumps away to avoid getting hit by a pitchfork* Ah, I see. *runs off* You'll never catch me!**


	4. Marry You

**AN: To those whose hearts I broke: Sorry, not sorry *cackles*. To those who are protecting me: Thanks! :D To those who want to murder me: *runs off* You'll never catch me!**

**DemonCrowley: I didn't mention that, did I? The baby is a normal colour.**

**Here's some fluff in an attempt to mend your poor, broken hearts.**

* * *

**4\. Marry You**

_One year earlier_

"Married," Elphaba echoed flatly, staring up at Fiyero as if he had just told her he wanted to bounce around in one of Glinda's sparkly dresses.

Fiyero nodded, his sapphire blue eyes shining. "Yes!"

She kept on looking at him for a long time. Then she returned her attention to her book.

"No."

His face fell. "What? Why not?" He sat down next to her, trying to get her to look at him again. "Fae, why not?" he pressed on.

She sighed and closed her book, putting it on the side table as she sat up and crossed her legs.

"Yero," she said patiently, "just because we're back in Oz and Glinda is trying to clear my name, does _not _mean the Vinkun people will accept the fact that their Crown Prince is marrying the Wicked Witch of the West."

He looked angry. "Is that why you won't do it?" he demanded. "Because of the people? Fae, I don't give a flying monkey about the people!"

She scowled at him. "You know I hate it when you use that expression," she muttered, looking down.

Fiyero caught her chin and kissed her gently. "Sorry," he murmured. "I wasn't thinking."

"As per usual," she shot back, but she smiled. "And no, the people are not the only reason."

He looked at her questioningly and she sighed.

"Fiyero, everything about the prospect of a wedding makes me shudder," she said bluntly. "Can you see me parading around in a poofy, _white _dress, smiling and wearing veils and jewellery and flowers as Glinda dances around me and destroys my hearing with excited squeals? You're a Crown Prince – it would have to be a big wedding. I'd have to say marriage vows in front of a thousand people. I'd have to meet your parents, who will probably hate me for what I did to you…"

"Fae," he cut her off sternly. He took her hands in his own. "We can fix all that."

She eyed him warily.

"You'll meet my parents soon," he told her. "I want you to meet them, anyway, and if you've really been thinking all this time that they are going to hate you, then I'm going to take you to Adurin Iir to see them as soon as possible so that we can get that idea out of your head. They'll love you, Fae. Trust me."

She looked sceptical, but didn't say anything.

"And if the idea of a big wedding truly terrifies you that much," Fiyero continued, "then we're not going to have a big wedding. Crown Prince or not, it's still _my _wedding and I can do with it whatever I want. We'll go to a chapel if you want, just you and me, and I don't care if you'll be wearing a white dress or one of your black frocks. Wear a burlap sack, if you want to. To me, you'll always be the most beautiful woman in the world; and I just want to marry you, Fae, no matter what. I just want everyone to know that we are together and how much I love you."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no sound came out. He grinned at her and pulled her into his arms. "Any other reasons for you to not marry me that I can deflect?"

She flushed a little. "One," she confessed in a small voice. "But you'll be angry."

He frowned. "I could never be angry with you," he told her seriously.

"That's a lie," she chided him and he conceded.

"I can never _stay_ angry with you, then." He squeezed her hand. "But I promise that whatever you're going to say, I won't be angry."

She sat up again and pulled away from him, though she wouldn't look him in the eye. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on her lap, where her fingers were playing with the hem of her dress.

She took a deep breath. "Yero… marriage is a big step," she said quietly. "And… if we make this official… us, I mean… it won't be so easy to back out anymore."

He was baffled.

"Back out?" he asked her in a rather high and panicked tone of voice. "Are you saying you –"

"No!" she cut him off. "Of course not! Not _me_, Yero!"

Then it dawned on him. He sighed and shook his head as he realised what she meant. "You still think I'm going to leave you." It was a statement, not a question.

She nodded, eyes still trained on her skirt. "Yes," she said softly. "I still think that sooner or later, you're going to realise your mistake. You're going to laugh at what a complete moron you've been for even thinking for a clock-tick that you loved me, and then you're going to go and never come back."

His throat suddenly felt constricted and he cupped her face in his hands so that he could look into her eyes. When he saw how sincere she was being, how genuinely she believed what she was saying, he made his decision in a heartbeat.

"That's it," he declared, rising to his feet. He took her hands and pulled her up as well. "Come with me."

"Come with you _where_?" she asked as he led her to the front door of the cottage they temporarily lived in and opened it, taking her outside.

"To the chapel in town," he said casually, as if he was telling her they were going to the market to get some fruit. "To get married."

She stopped dead in her tracks, freezing. "What?"

"I can't stand you thinking this way," he said as if that explained everything. "I'm not going to leave you, Fae. Ever. You are my world, and since you apparently cannot believe that, I guess I'll just have to prove it to you."

She let out a nervous laugh. "Yero –"

"I'm serious," he said, and he was. He would do anything to show her how much he loved her and to convince her that he was here to stay. Right by her side. For the rest of his life.

Her eyes were wide. "But –"

"No. Come." He took her hand again and led her down the road towards the chapel of the small town. She was completely flabbergasted, up to the point where she didn't even protest – she just followed him, feeling numb and slightly shocked.

Fiyero greeted the clergy with the words, "Can you marry us? Like, right now?"

The man merely stared at him, much like Elphaba had only minutes before.

"Right now?" he managed finally, and Fiyero nodded.

Elphaba tugged at his hand. "Yero, you can't be serious," she said. "Think about this. Glinda and your parents would kill us for not inviting them…"

"I don't care," Fiyero declared.

"…and it takes a day to get a wedding license," she finished drily.

Fiyero blinked. "What?"

"I'm afraid the young lady is right," the clergy said apologetically. "I could arrange a wedding license for you, if you'd like; but it would take at least a day. You could also go to the town hall yourself and see what they can do."

"We will," said Fiyero brusquely, before all but dragging Elphaba out of the chapel and back into the sunlight.

She tried to reason with him again, but he ignored her as he strode into the town hall and walked straight up to the nearest person he saw. "We need a wedding license right now."

The man looked irritated. "I'm sorry, sir," he said politely, "but it takes a day to –"

Fiyero straightened his back and gave the man a menacing look.

"I am Crown Prince Fiyero Tiggular of the Vinkus," he declared haughtily. "If I want to get married today, I _will _get married today."

Elphaba would have rolled her eyes if she weren't still half in shock.

The man hesitated, clearly torn. He looked from Fiyero to Elphaba. "I…"

"And if you don't help us," Fiyero added threateningly, "I will tell my almost-wife here to hex you. You do know who she is, don't you?"

"Fiyero!" Elphaba exclaimed, horrified, as the man's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"But…" he stammered. "I thought… I thought Lady Glinda said she wasn't really wicked, and…"

"I'm not," Elphaba told him quickly. "I would never do such a thing." She glared at Fiyero. "You're _really_ helping with the whole clearing-my-name thing."

He had the decency to look sheepish. "Desperate times call for desperate measures?" he tried, but she just fixed him with another death glare until he sighed and gave in.

"Please," he said to the now rather nervous man in front of him. "It would really mean a lot to me if you could get us a wedding license right now."

The man nodded quickly. "You… you weren't serious about the Witch, then?" he asked fearfully.

Fiyero shook his head. "She's not wicked," he assured the poor man. "She wouldn't harm a fly. Literally."

The man breathed a sigh of relief and nodded again. "I will see what I can do," he promised and made to walk away.

"Sir?" Fiyero called after him. "I wasn't joking about the whole Prince of the Vinkus thing, you know."

The man hurried off and Elphaba elbowed Fiyero in the side. "Oz, Yero!"

He grinned at her. "What?" he protested. "I'm just really eager to marry you!"

She shook her head. "This is madness," she said, but he just kissed her nose.

"This," he corrected her, "is me trying to convince you how much you mean to me. And I'm going to succeed, just you wait and see."

"You'll have to get that wedding license first," she pointed out to him.

He smirked. "Give it a few minutes."

An hour later, they walked back into the chapel with their wedding license.

"We got it," Fiyero announced. "Can you please marry us now?"

The clergy, still baffled, took the paper and looked it over carefully. Then he nodded.

"I still think it's a little strange," he conceded, "but since your papers are in order and there is nothing else you need… of course. It will be my pleasure to marry you."

Fiyero grinned at his soon-to-be wife as he took her hands in his own, standing opposite her and looking into her eyes. The clergy cleared his throat and spoke.

"Do you, Fiyero Tiggular, take Elphaba Thropp to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, and do you promise to respect her, love her, and cherish her, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Fiyero said confidently, never once taking his eyes off Elphaba. She blushed and lowered her gaze.

The clergy repeated his question to Elphaba.

"This is ridiculous," Elphaba muttered under her breath. "Absolutely insane."

Fiyero grinned at her. "I know. Now will you please just say 'I do'?" he said lightly, even though his heart was pounding in his chest and he suddenly felt rather faint. What if she said no? He hadn't exactly given her a choice in this, after all…

But then she looked at him and said softly, "I do", and Fiyero's face broke into a grin again. By the time the clergy declared them husband and wife, Fiyero had already pulled Elphaba into his arms and was kissing her deeply, all but his wife completely forgotten.

"Congratulations," the clergy said with a smile before closing his book and walking away, giving the newlyweds some privacy.

Fiyero finally forced himself to break away so that they could breathe and he rested his forehead against hers, smiling when he saw the look of wonder in her eyes.

"Are you happy?" he whispered.

She nodded wordlessly and he kissed her again, feeling her relax against him. He swept her off her feet – literally – and carried her out of the chapel bridal style, walking all the way home with her in his arms and a huge, goofy smile on his face.

Hours later, when she was lying in his arms and he was gently stroking her bare back, smiling as he watched the way she shivered and stretched under his touch, he whispered, "Do you believe me now?"

She looked up at him with those beautiful, dazzling eyes; and just for this once, he could see all the love she held for him in those chocolate brown depths.

"I might," she conceded quietly, a small smile on her face.

He pulled her flush against his body and kissed her until she was completely breathless.

* * *

**Did that help a little? *dodges pitchfork* Dang, I take it it was not enough...**

**Ohh, and I almost forgot: the cover image was made by TanyaKay on DeviantArt - if you ever read this, thank you for letting me use it; and thank you Humole for adapting it slightly to make it perfect for this story!**


	5. Watching Over Me

**AN: Yep, I made a stupid mistake in the first sentence of the previous chapter. It's fixed now.**

**It appears I still need protection :P. Remember the happy ending I promised you!**

* * *

**5\. Watching Over Me**

_Four years later_

"Daddy! Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" Xalo stormed through the hallways of the castle as fast as his little legs could carry him, beaming with excitement. "Daddy!"

"What's up, bug?" Fiyero caught his son and lifted him onto his hip, looking at the excited young boy with a smile. Xalo was still growing fast and every day, he looked more like both of his parents. With Fiyero's thick, sandy hair and Elphaba's large, brown eyes, he appeared to be the most adorable thing in the Vinkus… though his behaviour left something to be desired.

"I saw Mummy again," Xalo told his father with a wide grin, and Fiyero's smile melted right off his face.

"Xalo," he said quietly, setting the boy down and crouching in front of him so that he could look his son in the eye. "I told you… Mummy isn't here anymore."

"Is, too," Xalo said stubbornly. "I saw her."

Fiyero sighed. "Xalo…"

The boy stomped his foot. "Why do you never believe me?" he shouted, angry tears springing to his eyes. "I really saw her, Daddy! She's here sometimes, and then she talks to me and –"

"That's enough, Xalo," Fiyero said sharply. "Your mother is gone and that is the end of it. I won't hear anything else about it ever again, is that understood?"

Xalo looked at him for a few moments with wide, accusing eyes, before turning on his heels and running off.

Fiyero sighed and rubbed his forehead, jumping when someone suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know it still hurts, Fiyero," Glinda said gently, "but you don't have to take it out on him."

Fiyero glared at her. "Shouldn't you be getting back to the Emerald City to rule Oz?" he asked her sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. "I told you I'd stay to celebrate New Year's Eve with you all," she pointed out to him. "My advisors can rule Oz without me for a week. You're not getting rid of me so easily, Fiyero. Now listen."

"No."

"_Listen to me_. Xalo is three years old, Fiyero. He's only a little boy. We've all been telling him stories about his mother and with the rich imagination of a child, he thinks he sees her. You can't treat him like this."

"He can't have seen her, Glinda," Fiyero insisted and the blonde sighed and shook her head.

"Of course he hasn't really seen her," she said, "but he is a young boy who grew up without a mother. Other children have imaginary friends, don't they? I know I had one when I was a small girl. An enormous fluffy bunny named Whitey."

Despite himself, Fiyero chuckled.

"Mine was a boy my own age named Daren," he admitted. "I grew up in the castle without many friends, given that I'm a prince, and all… Daren was my best friend and he wasn't afraid of anything."

Glinda giggled. "There. See? All children have imaginary friends." She placed a hand on Fiyero's arm and looked up at him. "Xalo just has an imaginary mother."

Fiyero took a deep breath.

"You know what?" he said, exhaling slowly. "You're right. I'll go and find him… to apologise."

Glinda patted his arm encouragingly. "That's a good Fifi."

He left the blonde girl behind to go look for his son, meanwhile losing himself in thought.

This was not the first time Xalo claimed to have seen his mother. Fiyero remembered that first time, when the little boy had only just begun to talk. He knew about ten words back then, but the only thing he said frequently was 'Papa'.

That day, when Fiyero had come into his room, he had looked like he was playing. He had been laughing and saying, "Mama!". Fiyero was certain his heart had stopped for a few moments.

Upon hearing his father enter, Xalo had turned around and pointed at the mirror with a wide smile on his face. "Mama," he said. "Mama, mama, mama. Papa, mama!"

Almost afraid to look, Fiyero had glanced into the mirror; but of course there was nothing there.

They had all told Xalo stories about his mother. Despite the fact that she was gone, Fiyero wanted his son to know everything about her there was to know. Lori, Hamold, and Glinda agreed. Xalo knew many things about Elphaba – how she looked, what she had been like, the fact that she had been a witch and Auntie Glinda's best friend… he found all those stories incredibly fascinating.

Maybe that was where these fantasies came from, Fiyero thought as he left the castle and stepped out into the garden, looking around to see if he could locate Xalo. Maybe Glinda was right. After all, hadn't they all played out the stories their parents had told them when they were little kids? Fiyero grinned slightly when he remembered one time when the daughter of some nobleman had been staying over at Adurin Iir. They must have been about seven at the time and she had wanted to play with him, pretending she was a princess locked up in a tower and Fiyero had to be the prince who came to save her. Fiyero, who hadn't really liked the girl because she was annoying and talked all the time, had agreed; and after locking her up in the highest tower of Adurin Iir, he had quickly run down the stairs and gone off to play somewhere else. The girl had waited for him in her tower for nearly two hours before she had started to call for help, but even then, no-one could hear her. It wasn't until it was time for dinner that the parents had started wondering where she was and Fiyero had confessed what he had done. He'd been grounded for a week, but it had been worth it.

Shaking his head, he ventured farther out into the garden, looking around and calling Xalo's name.

He found the little boy at the cemetery, sitting on a stone bench with his little legs dangling, staring at Elphaba's grave.

Feeling that familiar lump in his throat, Fiyero approached his son, silently setting himself down beside him. Xalo didn't look up and they looked down at the grave together for a long moment, father and son.

"You look like her," Fiyero said finally, quietly.

Xalo looked to the side. "Grandma always says I look like you."

"You do." Fiyero nodded. "But you also look like her."

Xalo cuddled up against him, his thumb in his mouth. "What did she look like?" he asked, his voice muffled by his thumb.

Fiyero smiled sadly. Xalo knew very well what his mother had looked like by now; but somehow, he couldn't get enough of hearing about her… and quite honestly, Fiyero could never get enough of talking about her.

"She was very beautiful," he said softly, putting an arm around his son and pulling him into his lap. He rested his chin on top of Xalo's head. "Her skin was green, like emeralds, and her hair black as the night sky. It was very soft and very long, reaching all the way down to her waist. Her eyes were dark brown, just like yours – you two have the exact same eyes."

Xalo inadvertently brought his hand up to his eyes. "Really?"

Fiyero nodded. "She was very powerful," he said. "A sorceress. One of the most powerful ones that have ever existed."

He felt sad again at that. She had been so powerful… and yet she was gone now. No amount of power could have saved her.

Xalo held his breath, eyes shining with excitement. "Will you tell me the story about her and the Wizard again?" he asked, bouncing a little. "Please?"

Fiyero did. He told Xalo how he had come to know Elphaba at Shiz and how she had defied the Wizard, and everything that had happened afterwards, including his brief time as a scarecrow. Xalo sat and listened, his thumb still in his mouth; but no matter how interesting he found the story, after a while he dozed off, his head dropping against Fiyero's shoulder.

Fiyero stopped, heaving a sigh and lifting his son up in his arms. He looked at the grave one more time.

"Bye, Fae," he whispered.

He turned to go back inside, but something made him stop and turn around again. He frowned. It was a feeling… he couldn't really place it.

He'd felt it many times before, ever since Elphaba had died. He had no idea what it was, but he liked to think it was Elphaba watching over him… even though, of course, he knew that was ridiculous.

* * *

Xalo stood in front of the large mirror in his bedroom, peering at it intently.

"Mummy?" he whispered. "Are you there?"

Nothing happened. He felt disappointed.

He sighed and sat down on the floor, putting his thumb back in his mouth. "Why won't Daddy believe me?" he asked the mirror. "Can't you tell him, Mummy? That you're real?"

He looked down for a moment, tracing the patterns in the tiles on the floor with his finger.

"I think he really misses you," he said solemnly. "Daddy always gets really sad when he talks about you."

He looked up again and a broad smile spread across his face when he saw her standing next to him.

"I know Daddy is sad, sweetie," she said, leaning down to run the fingers of one emerald hand through his hair. He closed his eyes for a moment, even though he could not feel it.

"But he can't see me," she continued and Xalo opened his eyes again.

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

Elphaba shrugged, heaving a sigh as she looked at her son. "Maybe because he doesn't believe."

"Believe?" Xalo echoed. "Believe in what?"

"In himself," she said mysteriously. "In me. He doesn't believe I am still here, little one."

"But how can he not believe that?" Xalo wanted to know. "He always tells me that you will always be with us and that you're watching over us…"

"He tells you that," Elphaba agreed, "but he doesn't believe it himself."

Xalo crossed his arms and pouted.

His mother chuckled. "But I am," she said with a smile. "I am here and I always will be, and I do watch over you both. You know that. You can see me… but your father can't."

"It's not fair," Xalo said, still pouting.

Elphaba shook her head. "It never is."

"He talks about you all the time," Xalo told her. "He's always telling me stories about you. And he goes to visit your grave every day, sometimes even twice a day. Grandma is always worried about him, but Grandpa says she should just leave him be because it helps him." He furrowed his brow. "And every time Auntie Glinda visits from the Emerald City, she says that he looks horrible."

Elphaba laughed. "That does sound like your Auntie Glinda."

"And then she asks him why he won't go out and meet other girls. She says I need a mummy." He wrinkled his nose. "But I already have you. Why would I need another mummy?"

"None of them can see me, sweetie," Elphaba reminded him gently. "None of them know I am still here."

"Well, I don't want another mummy," Xalo decided, setting his jaw defiantly. "And Daddy doesn't want that, either. He always gets mad at Auntie Glinda when she says that."

"Maybe it would be good for him," said Elphaba softly, more to herself than to her son. "Another woman…"

"No." Xalo shook his head violently. "He says you are the only one for him and he will never love someone else. And then Auntie Glinda always gets mad at him again, but I don't really understand why."

"You don't have to understand," his mother assured him. "You will understand all this when you get older, I promise."

Just then, the door opened and Fiyero came in.

He smiled when he saw his son sitting on the floor. "Hey, bug." He approached the boy. "Ready for bed?"

"Daddy, look!" Xalo pointed at the mirror and Fiyero knelt down next to his son, following his gaze.

"What's up, buddy?" he asked. "What do you see?"

Xalo looked at his mother helplessly. Elphaba gave him a sad smile.

"I told you," she said softly. "He can't see me, not even when he's looking straight at me."

Xalo's face fell and he looked up at his father disappointedly.

"What?" Fiyero asked when he saw the peculiar look on his son's face. "Xalo?"

"Will you tell me a story about Mummy, Daddy?" Xalo asked and Fiyero smiled and nodded.

"Of course."

As Xalo padded off into the bathroom, Fiyero paused, glancing at the mirror. Elphaba, on the other side, placed her palm flat against the surface, trying to reach him despite knowing that it wouldn't work.

Fiyero reached out his hand and Elphaba held her breath. For just a few heartbeats, it seemed like his hand would touch hers.

Then he shook his head and dropped his arm, turning around and moving into the bathroom.

Elphaba vanished before her son could come back into the room and see the tears in her eyes.


	6. Family

**AN: Thank you once more for your reviews. You have no idea how much I love them :).**

**Emerald Minded Fictionist: It's 16 chapters long, so ten more to go after this one!**

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**6\. Family**

_Four years earlier_

"I can't do this." Elphaba paced up and down, chewing on her nails nervously. "Oh, Oz, Fiyero, I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can." Fiyero stopped her and took her hands in his to stop her from biting her nails. "Fae, look at me."

She did.

"They're my parents," he stressed. "They don't bite. For Oz's sake, Fae – you stood up against the Wizard and Morrible, battled the Gale Force, and fought for Animal Rights for years. You faked your own death and then you allowed Glinda to try and clear your name. Look at all the things you did, the risks you took. But _meeting my parents _is what scares you?" He shook his head in disbelief, but with a fond smile on his face. "Come on."

"Believe me," she assured him seriously, "if I could choose between battling the Gale Force again and meeting your parents right now, then please find me a bunch of Gale Force soldiers."

He laughed and drew her into his arms, kissing her nose. "I love you."

"What if they don't like me?"

"They will," he assured her.

"What if they hate me for ruining your life?" she wanted to know.

He rolled his eyes. "You did _not _ruin my life," he said sternly. "Quite the opposite."

"Or what if they're repulsed by the green?" Elphaba asked worriedly, detaching herself from him and resuming her pacing. "What if they think I'm not good enough for you? What if they make you choose between them and me?"

"Then I guess we'll be going back home and never come here again," he said.

She glared at him. "That's not funny, Fiyero."

"I'm not trying to be funny." He shook his head again. "Fae, if they make me choose, I'd choose you a thousand times over," he said. "But they won't. They'll love you, I promise. I've talked to them a couple of times already, remember? They know everything about you. It's fine. Would you calm down already?"

Suddenly, the door opened and a herald came in.

"I present to you," he announced, "His Royal Majesty King Hamold Tiggular of the Vinkus and his wife, Queen Eleonora!"

Elphaba blanched visibly and tried to smooth out her skirt with her hands. Fiyero firmly wrapped his arm around her waist, stilling her movements.

Elphaba was not sure what she had expected. If she had thought about it, she probably would have imagined King Hamold to be a stony-faced, greying king with cold, critical eyes and a stiff, straight back. Queen Eleonora she might have imagined as a stern woman with hair pulled tightly back and a tiara on her head, regal and formal.

They did not look anything like that at all.

Hamold's hair was greying, yes, but that was the only similarity to the King Hamold of Elphaba's imagination. This King Hamold was all smiles, with twinkling blue eyes much like Fiyero's. Queen Eleonora came right behind him, looking regal, but not formal. Her brown hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders and she, too, smiled when she laid eyes on Fiyero and Elphaba, though there were tears in her eyes.

"Yero," she said, approaching her son and embracing him tightly. "I must admit, even though I've seen you a few times now since you returned to Oz, every time a part of me still fears that I was just dreaming and you're dead after all…" She trailed off.

Fiyero hugged her back. "I'm not, Mum. You know that." He smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Thank Oz. So," she changed the subject, "you have finally decided to introduce us to your wife?"

Fiyero didn't say that it was Elphaba who had procrastinated this meeting as long as possible. Instead he just shrugged.

"Well," Hamold said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "can you blame him for wanting to keep her to himself? Fiyero, I think we need to have a serious talk."

Elphaba's stomach already clenched in apprehension.

"Because," Hamold continued and he smiled at Elphaba, "you have never told us how beautiful she was."

Elphaba's eyes narrowed slightly, unconvinced and a little suspicious.

"Did, too!" Fiyero protested.

Hamold grinned at him. "Yes, well, you didn't do her justice."

"How could I?" Fiyero said dramatically. "What could I possibly have said to you that describes her beauty, exactly?"

"You're right," Hamold agreed cheerfully. "No amount of words could have described her properly."

"Boys, that's enough," the queen, who saw how uncomfortable Elphaba was looking, chided gently.

Fiyero gave her a sheepish grin. "Right. Mum, Dad," he said, drawing Elphaba closer again, "this is my wife, Elphaba. Fae, these are my parents, Lori and Hamold."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Elphaba," Hamold said, taking the green girl's hand and kissing it. "We have heard so much about you. Or, well, that is an understatement," he added, "because frankly, Fiyero could just not shut up about you. When he came home for the holidays or the summer when you were still at Shiz, he talked about you non-stop; and when he came to see us again after… well, you know, everything… he didn't stop talking about you, either."

Elphaba blushed.

"All good things," Lori assured her as she embraced the younger woman. "Hello, Elphaba. Welcome to the family."

"See? I told you they were nice," Fiyero whispered in his wife's ear, planting a kiss on her cheek. Then he said out loud, "Shall we go and sit down somewhere?"

Once they had settled in the parlour and Lori had ordered some tea, the queen started asking Fiyero and Elphaba all kinds of things about their wedding.

The moment Glinda had started the process of clearing Elphaba's name, Fiyero had written his parents to inform them that he was still alive. He had been to Adurin Iir two or three times after that to visit Hamold and Lori, but Elphaba had always declined his offer to take her with him. He had kept in touch with his parents, though, telling them everything that was happening, including the fact that he and Elphaba had gotten married a few weeks ago.

Lori absolutely loved the story of their wedding, just like Glinda had – despite the fact that they both would have wanted to be there, they thought the whole thing was terribly romantic. Both Lori and Hamold seemed very happy for both of them; but when Fiyero excused himself for a moment, leaving Elphaba alone with his parents, she took a deep breath.

"I just want you to know… I'm sorry," she said, lowering her eyes. "I took him away from you, he almost died because of me… and it was because of me that you thought he was dead. I never meant to, but it was my fault, and… well, I'd understand if you'd hate me."

"Hate you?" Lori shook her head. "Oh, Elphaba…"

She shifted, sitting down next to the green girl instead of opposite her, and she took Elphaba's hands in her own.

"You inspired Fiyero to do well in school and to make something of his life," she said. "You make him happy, I can see that clear as day. If it weren't for you, maybe he would be living in a palace in the Emerald City right now, possibly even with Glinda… but he would not be happy."

"Yero has always been stubborn," Hamold added, "and he has a mind of his own, Elphaba. The fact that he left with you and risked his life for you was his own decision and most definitely not your fault. We know that."

"We're his parents," Lori said with a small smile. "We just want him to be happy, and we can see that he is with you."

"But…" Elphaba tried to wrap her mind around this. "But what about the whole Wicked Witch of the West thing?" she asked uncertainly.

Hamold laughed. "Well, you don't look very wicked to me," he said in amusement. "We're royalty, Elphaba. You wouldn't believe the amount of gossip we have already heard about our family. We know enough about all that to realise that not everything people say is true; and I, personally, trust my son's judgment, not to mention my own, more than I do the rumours."

"And the green?"

Lori shook her head. "We don't care about what colour your skin is, sweetheart," she said gently. "We care about what's inside."

A wave of relief flooded Elphaba. "So… so you don't hate me?" she asked, just to be sure.

"Of course not." Lori smiled at her. "You're our daughter-in-law, Elphaba, and Fiyero loves you. That is reason enough for us to love you, too."

When Fiyero came back and found his mother and wife hugging, he was surprised, but he smiled.

"I take it you approve?" he said as he sat down on Elphaba's other side and took her hand in his.

"Would it make a difference?" Hamold asked drily.

Fiyero shrugged. "Not really," he said, "but I'd like for you to get along."

Lori smiled. "Yes, Yero."

"She can stay," Hamold chuckled, earning himself an exasperated glare from both his wife and his son.

"That's good," Fiyero said, glancing at Elphaba briefly, "because we have some other news for you as well."

Lori moved to sit next to her husband again and both of them looked at the couple opposite them expectantly.

Fiyero and Elphaba shared a look and Elphaba motioned for him to go ahead, knowing how excited he was to share this news with his parents.

"Mum, Dad," he began, eyes shining and a huge grin on his face. "We're going to have a baby."

Hamold choked on a sip of tea. Lori's eyes were wide.

"A baby?" Slowly, a smile spread across her face. "We're going to be grandparents? Yero, you're going to be a father!"

After hugs and congratulations all around, Lori started firing questions at them. When did they first find out? When was Elphaba due? How was she feeling?

"We've only known for about a week or so," said Elphaba. "I'm nine weeks right now, so I'm due in October, and so far I'm feeling fine… aside from lots of nausea and dizziness and occasionally throwing up."

"Where are you going to raise the baby?" asked Hamold. "Will you be going back to where you were living before?"

Elphaba and Fiyero exchanged another look.

"That was actually only meant as a temporary residence," Fiyero said, shifting a little. It hadn't been bad to live in the tiny town they'd been staying in, but neither of them really wanted to live the rest of their lives there. "And now that it looks like Fae's name is mostly cleared and the Ozians aren't reacting too badly to her anymore… we were hoping you would maybe let us come back here."

"Are you coming to live here? At Adurin Iir?" Lori clasped her hands together in delight. "Oh, Yero! We'd love to have you – both of you! Or… all three of you," she added with a smile. "Of course you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want. It's your home, too, Fiyero. And now yours as well," she addressed Elphaba.

The dark-haired witch gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you."

Fiyero grinned and brought their joint hands up to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, and Elphaba looked at him. She could not help but feel excited at the prospect of finally, after all these years, having a real family.


	7. Believe

**AN: Sorry for 1) updating late and 2) not reviewing a couple of stories, because I couldn't access my account or place reviews on FF yesterday :(.**

**PocketSevens: YOU RUINED MY REVIEW PAGE! *sends Flying Monkeys after you* :P**

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**7\. Believe**

_Six years later_

Xalo's first magical outburst came when he was four years old.

Fiyero could not even remember what they had been fighting about. All he knew was that one moment, Xalo had been standing there, crying and yelling angrily at his father; and the next moment, all the vases and windows in the room had shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. It had caused Fiyero to flee the room and lock himself up in his bedroom for hours whilst Lori tried to comfort Xalo, who was not only still angry with his father, but also shocked at what had happened.

Fiyero hadn't been able to handle it. It reminded him too much of her – the Lion Cub, the time she had saved his life by turning him into a scarecrow, the time she had changed him back… and all the times when her grief and guilt had overwhelmed her and she had lost control of her powers whilst fighting with him, shattering glass or knocking him down or causing plants to shoot out of the ground and into the sky out of nowhere. Fiyero just could not stand it. He had finally gotten used to seeing Xalo every day, trying to see himself in his son, rather than her, because that was easier; but it was still horrible. Every day was hell for him, just knowing that she was not there and he had to pretend to be strong and happy for his son.

And then one day, when Xalo was five years old, Fiyero walked past his son's bedroom door and he could hear him talking.

That in itself was rather strange, since as far as Fiyero knew, there was no-one in the room with Xalo. And yet he distinctly heard his son's voice, talking and waiting, as if listening to someone's answer; and then he would speak again, as if responding to someone else.

Fiyero, curious and a little worried, pressed his ear to the door.

"…can't you be here, with us?" he heard Xalo ask. The boy paused for a few moments. Then he said, "I just wish the others could see you, too. Auntie Glinda, and Daddy… especially Daddy."

There was silence again. Then Xalo's voice, "But _why_?"

Fiyero pushed open the door. "Xalo?"

The boy turned his head. "Yes, Dad?"

"Who are you talking to?" Fiyero asked as he came into the room. Xalo was sitting on his bed, legs dangling down from it as he sat facing… nothing. He seemed to be looking at something, but to Fiyero, there was only air.

Xalo looked guilty, as if he already knew his father wasn't going to like the answer. "To Mum."

Fiyero sighed, slightly irritated. "Xalo, don't you think you're a little too old for these games by now?"

"They're not games!" Xalo protested. "Dad, she's really here! First I could only see her in the mirror, but now I can see her everywhere. She's almost always here, Dad. She says she's watching over us."

While Fiyero liked that thought, he did not believe his son for even a clock-tick.

"She says I can see her everywhere now because my magic is growing," Xalo continued excitedly. "She says that's probably also why I'm the only one who can see her – because we both have magic and that's how we're connected. Since I had my first magical outburst, it has gotten stronger, I think."

"I want you to stop this, Xalo," Fiyero said sharply. "Right now. It's been enough."

"But Dad –"

"No, Xalo." Fiyero turned around to leave the room. He could hear Xalo huffing angrily behind him, but he did not look around.

Not until he had reached the door and Xalo suddenly said behind him, "Yero my hero."

Fiyero froze.

"That's what she says," Xalo said. "She says "Yero my hero"."

His father whirled around. "How do you know that?" he demanded in a voice that did not at all sound like his own. "She always called me that, but I never told you. How do you know?"

"I told you," Xalo said with way more calm and wisdom than a five-year-old boy should possess. "She's here and I can talk to her."

Slowly, almost apprehensively, Fiyero moved back to where Xalo was sitting.

"What else does she say?" he asked, feeling stupid even as the words left his mouth. Of course it wasn't true. How could it be? He felt like a complete idiot for even believing it for a clock-tick.

"She says," Xalo frowned slightly in confusion, ""as long as you're mine, we'll be together always". She says you'll know what it means."

Fiyero's legs suddenly felt wobbly and unable to hold him up for much longer. He sank down onto the bed just as his knees were about to buckle, his hands shaking.

"F-Fae?" he whispered.

Xalo was looking to the side again. "She says she's sorry she left you, and she loves you. I told you, Dad," he went on excitedly. "She's been here for as long as I can remember."

Fiyero genuinely thought he was going to faint.

"Dad? Are you okay?" Xalo tugged at his arm. "Dad?"

Fiyero tried to smile, but he couldn't; and then suddenly tears were streaming down his face and he started sobbing. He tried to hold them back, to compose himself and calm himself down for Xalo, but he simply couldn't. He could only cry – the ugly kind of crying that involved body-racking sobs and an inability to breathe as the tears kept pouring out of his eyes like there was an entire ocean hiding behind them.

Xalo was clearly at a loss, not knowing what to do. When he saw his mother sitting down on the bed beside Fiyero, gently stroking his hair, he climbed onto the bed on his father's other side and did the same.

"Daddy?" he asked softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry…"

Fiyero wanted to reassure his son, tell him it was okay, that it was not his fault. He couldn't get a single word out between sobs, however.

"Yero?" His mother came through the door, looking alarmed. "Is something wrong? I thought I heard –" She cut herself off when she saw the state her son was in and the lost look on her grandson's face. She instantly sat down next to Fiyero and embraced him, looking at Xalo over the prince's shoulder.

"What happened, sweetheart?" she softly asked the young boy.

He looked guilty. "Mum was here," he said, "and I gave Dad a message from her, but then he started crying… I'm really sorry," he added, but Lori was dumbfounded.

"Was?" Fiyero suddenly croaked, raising his head from his mother's shoulder to look at Xalo. "She's gone?"

Xalo nodded. "She left when Grandma came in. But she'll probably be back soon," he assured his father.

Lori had a thousand questions, but she first focused on Fiyero. She fetched him a glass of water and some tissues and waited until he had calmed down a little. Then she gently sent Xalo off to play while she took Fiyero with her to one of the sitting rooms, asking a maid to bring in a cup of coffee and then taking a seat opposite her son.

"Talk to me," she said.

His eyes immediately filled with tears again, but he managed to hold them back this time.

"It was Xalo," he choked out, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "He… he was talking to someone. He said it was Elphaba."

Lori's heart dropped. "Oh, Yero…"

"I didn't believe him," he said, biting his lip so hard he tasted blood, "but then he said… he said "Yero my hero". He couldn't know that, Mum. He couldn't know that she always called me that. I never told him."

"Fiyero," Lori said carefully. "Maybe… maybe Glinda told him. It is not possible that –"

"That's what I thought," he cut her off, his eyes wide and scared when he looked at his mother. "But then Xalo said, "As long as you're mine, we'll be together always". He said Elphaba had told him to say that to me. I said that to her, Mum. That night after I left Glinda for her, when she and I fled the Throne Room in the City and spent the night in the Great Gillikin Forest, that's when I told her that. Right before she left to save Nessa." He shook his head. "I am a hundred percent sure that I never told Xalo about that, because I didn't tell _anyone_. It was something private… something between her and me. No-one knew. Not you, not Dad, not Glinda – no-one. How could Xalo have known?"

Lori had no answer to that.

"He says he's been seeing her for years already," Fiyero continued bitterly. "That he saw her in the mirror at first, but that her presence grew stronger when his powers did, because that's how they are connected. _Years_, Mum. He's been seeing her for _years_, and he's been trying to tell me that for equally as long, and I… I didn't believe him."

"Of course you didn't," Lori said softly. "Yero, it sounds like something a little boy without a mother could make up. Don't blame yourself for not believing Xalo. I don't think anyone would have believed him."

"But I should have," Fiyero whispered. "I've seen Elphaba's powers in action so many times – I shouldn't have questioned Xalo… I should have believed him." He looked at Lori with such hope in his eyes that her heart broke at the mere sight of it. "Do you think it could be true?"

She sighed, not wanting to tell him this, but knowing she had to.

"I don't know, Fiyero," she said honestly. "I don't know. It's not likely, but you're right – with her magic, I suppose it could be true that she… her spirit… is still here. But, Yero… does it _matter_?"

He gaped at her. "What do you mean, does it matter?" he demanded sharply. "Of course it _matters_, Mum!"

"It would be amazing to know that she's here and watching over you and Xalo, sweetheart," she tried to explain, "but… it doesn't change anything. We buried her. Her body is not here anymore. Maybe Xalo can really see her, or sense her presence, because of his magic… in which case it _would _matter – for Xalo. But you, Yero…"

He realised what she meant now, and his heart sank. "I can't see her." He perked up. "But… I could communicate with her."

"Through Xalo?" Lori shook her head. "You couldn't place that kind of burden on his shoulders. Fiyero, I hate to say this, but… if she really is here, and you now know that… it's holding you back," she said. "You won't be able to move on with your life."

He snorted. "What life, Mum? What do you mean, "move on"? I could never move on. You know that."

She did. No matter how she, Hamold, and Glinda had pushed him – firmly as well as gently – to go out more, to move on, to find another girl; he never had. His life had basically been standing still since Elphaba's death, only centred around caring for Xalo and keeping himself alive – which he only did for his son, Lori suspected. He had hardly even left the castle since his wife's death, let alone socialised with people or dated a woman. Deep down, she knew that he probably never would, either.

"We have to find out more about this," he said quietly, but his eyes were burning. "We have to. Maybe Glinda could do some research, about magic… she has the Grimmerie now, after all." Fiyero had given her the book after Elphaba's passing, knowing it wouldn't be of any use to him and thinking that maybe Glinda could learn how to read and use it. "I'll write to her right away," he said and he dashed off immediately.

Lori closed her eyes for a moment, feeling torn. She didn't want to be the one to shatter Fiyero's fresh hopes and dreams, but how could she go along with this? No matter what, Elphaba could not be brought back. He was grasping at straws and she thought he knew that, too; only he didn't _want _to know it. He was desperate. She loved seeing him like this – hopeful, alight… _alive _again – but she was afraid of what would happen once his hopes would shatter once more.


	8. Parents

**AN: *cackles***

**Luna the Zekrom: That's fine! I'm glad you're still reading :).**

**PocketSevens: *cackles some more***

**Feathersnow: Yeah, I guess it is a little confusing... this is the final chapter in the past, though, so after this one, everything will be in the present, when Xalo is five years old.**

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**8\. Parents**

_Five years earlier_

"Ow." Elphaba winced, and Fiyero was by her side faster than she could blink.

"Are you alright?" he asked quickly. "Fae? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Yero. The baby is just kicking." She brushed him off and waddled over to the couch.

He could not help but grin as he watched her. She looked absolutely adorable, the way she waddled with her baby bump protruding in front of her, but he didn't say anything. Every time he looked at her, he could feel a sense of utter happiness and joy washing over him. Here was the love of his life, his _wife_; and their child, the baby they had made together, was growing inside of her. He could not wait for it to be born.

He was overprotective of her, but no matter how much it annoyed her, he could not help it. He'd already explained to her that with her carrying their baby, he now had twice as much to lose if something happened to her, and so he insisted on coddling her and spoiling her rotten. He massaged her swollen feet and ankles and her sore back; he let her use him as a pillow when she was unable to sleep due to her large stomach; he held her and comforted her when she wasn't feeling well, and he fetched her everything her pregnancy made her crave – which included a lot of strange food combinations that nearly made him gag.

She was beautiful, more so even than usual. She complained that she was fat and that she looked ridiculous, but he could not disagree more. She was glowing the way a pregnant woman should, and there was something happy in her eyes, even more so than before. Something he had never seen at Shiz. He'd seen it a few times in the past two years – on their wedding day, for example, and the day she'd told him she was pregnant… it was there sometimes when he caught her looking at him or when they were making love. Now, however, he saw it every time he looked at her, and it made him happy to know that she was happy.

Of course she was scared. She was nervous about childbirth – even though his mother had been wonderful, having long conversations with the green girl about the subject – and she was afraid that the baby would be green. Fiyero kept on assuring her that he wouldn't care, that he'd love their child no matter what; but somehow, he could never really reassure her. The fact that some old Vinkun tradition forbade men from being in the room during the labour did not exactly help matters.

However, Glinda and Lori had both promised they'd be there and stand by her during the entire thing. Fiyero had kissed her gently and told her that he would be waiting right outside the door the whole time and that he would come in the moment the baby was born. She was calmer now, knowing a little better what to expect. The fact that she was completely fed up with being pregnant probably contributed to that as well.

She sighed now as she sat on the couch and tried to make herself comfortable, grumbling when she did not succeed. Fiyero smiled and sat down beside her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Heartburn, back pains, sore feet, kicking baby, fat, irritable, and very annoyed that the bathroom seems to have become my best friend these days," she replied instantly, making him grin. "This baby is clearly taking after you. Always late for everything."

He drew her into his arms and let her lie against him, softly rubbing her back with one hand and trailing random patterns on her stomach with the other. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you're doing great." He kissed her temple. "I'm so very proud of you, you know that? Soon we'll have a baby, Fae. Can you imagine that?"

"Not really," she admitted with a smile. She placed one hand on her belly. "Do you think it's a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know." Fiyero shrugged. "I don't care. It could be an adorable little princess, with long black hair…"

"And bright blue eyes…" she added softly, closing her eyes as she envisioned such a girl.

"With your brain," Fiyero said.

"And your skin."

He scowled at her, but she was unfazed. "I truly do hope that, Yero. It would be so much easier for her. Or him," she added. "I think the fact that we want the kid to have my brain and your skin goes for both boys and girls."

Fiyero chuckled. "Yeah, I guess." He leant down to press a kiss to his wife's belly. "What do you say, bug?" he asked her stomach. "Are you a boy or a girl?"

"What would we name him?" asked Elphaba. "Or her, of course."

Fiyero thought about it for a moment. "I liked that name you mentioned the other day."

"Xalo?"

He nodded and she smiled, stroking her belly with one hand. "Xalo." She looked down. "I think that would be nice for a boy. What about a girl?"

"Fae," he suggested, earning himself a snort and an eye roll.

"How about _Glinda_!" a new voice chirped as the blonde came in, beaming at them both. "I love Xalo for a boy, but I think Glinda would be perfect for a girl. Or perhaps Galinda? Don't you think that sounds so very nice for a princess?" She sighed happily. "Princess Galinda Tiggular…"

Elphaba sniggered and Fiyero shook his head with a grin.

"Sorry, Glin," he said. "Not going to happen."

The blonde pouted and Elphaba smirked at her. "Who would have thought, right? That first night you met Yero at Shiz, you thought _you _were going to be Princess Galinda Tiggular," she said with a wicked grin.

Glinda giggled. "Yes, well, I was a little silly back then. Just a little." She smiled when she saw the couple together. "How are you feeling, Elphie?"

"Heartburn, back pains, sore feet, kicking baby, fat, irritable, and I have to pee all the time," Elphaba rattled off again and Glinda giggled again.

"Don't worry," she assured her best friend. "It won't be long now."

"I hope not," Elphaba muttered.

Glinda sat down in a chair opposite the pair for a moment. "So what _would _you name the baby if it's a girl?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not sure," Elphaba conceded. She laid her head against Fiyero's shoulder. "I've been considering Nessarose, or Melena… but I don't really want to name my child after someone who is not here anymore, no matter how much I loved Mother and Nessa when they were still alive. This… marrying Yero, having my name cleared, and now becoming a mother… it feels like a fresh start. A chance to start over again. And I don't want to linger in the past."

Fiyero pressed a kiss to her hair, gently squeezing her hand. "I agree." He cocked his head a little to the side. "What was the name of that priestess in that story about the Unnamed God?"

"Oh, no!" Elphaba shook her head wildly. "We are _not _naming our daughter after a Unionist priestess, Fiyero! Over my dead body!"

Glinda giggled. "Maybe you could name her "Lurline", then."

"I'd sooner bite off my own tongue than give my child a religious name," Elphaba said sullenly. "I was raised with all that stuff and I hated it. You're going to have to come up with something else."

Glinda tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Like I said, Glinda –"

"No. Not Glinda. Not _Ga_linda, either."

The blonde huffed. "Fine."

"I still like "Fae"," Fiyero said and Elphaba threw her arms up in the air in exasperation.

"You two are really no help at all, are you?!" She gasped.

Glinda rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be so dramatic, Elphie," she began, before realising that Elphaba was not gasping because of the baby names. "Elphie?"

"I think that was a contraction," she said, biting her lip.

Glinda immediately rose to her feet. "I'll go get Lori." She hurried out of the room.

Elphaba looked up at Fiyero, who hugged her close and buried his face in her neck.

"You're going to be just fine, Fae," he whispered with a smile. "Just a little while longer and you'll be rid of the heartburn, and the sore feet, and the fatness…"

He could feel her smile, too. "You forget the back pains and the peeing."

He laughed and kissed her cheek. He felt her tense slightly at another contraction and he rubbed her stomach. "Does it hurt?"

She shook her head. "Not really," she said. "They just… take me by surprise." She turned to face him, her eyes worried. "What if I'm a horrible mother?"

"You're not." He kissed her deeply, feeling her baby bump against his own stomach. He could hardly imagine that soon there would be a tiny person lying in his wife's arms… that they'd have a baby. "You're going to be the most amazing mummy this kid could have wished for, just you wait and see."

"Alright," the midwife said as she entered the room, closely followed by Lori and Glinda. "Let's see how this is going, alright?" She led Elphaba up to her and Fiyero's bedroom and closed the door in front of Fiyero, telling him resolutely that he could not be in the room while she examined the green girl. By the time he was allowed back in, her contractions were already closer together and she was obviously in pain.

"She's doing great," the midwife assured Fiyero. "It looks like this is going to be a quick birth, which will be much more pleasant for both Elphaba and the baby."

He stayed by Elphaba's side, holding her hand and kissing her face every time a contraction hit her. The midwife did a quick examination every now and then until she announced that Elphaba was fully dilated, which meant she could start pushing and Fiyero had to leave the room.

He spluttered at first, but she just smiled at him despite the pain she was in. "It's okay, Yero. It won't be much longer now."

He kissed her softly and brushed her hair away from her face, stroking her cheek.

"I love you," he said softly. "You can do this, Fae, I know you can. You're the strongest and the bravest person I know. You can do this."

"I know," she said, kissing him one more time. She was clearly in pain, but he could see how happy she was at the prospect of having a baby.

"Next time I see you, we'll be parents," she said, her eyes shining.

He grinned widely and kissed her one more time before the midwife started tugging at his arm impatiently. It took both her and Lori to finally pry him away from his wife and lead him over to the door.

"We'll take care of her, Yero," Lori assured him for the umpteenth time. "Don't worry. She's going to be fine. Billions of women did this before her and she can do it, too."

"I know, but –"

"It's tradition, Fiyero," she said sympathetically. "You can't stay. Just be patient and stay out in the hallway until I come get you, alright?"

"But you'll come and get me right away, right?" he asked nervously. "Right after the baby is born?"

"Right after the baby is born," Lori nodded. "You will know even before the umbilical cord is cut." She smiled at him. "It will be fine, sweetheart."

He took a deep breath then and nodded, glancing once more at his wife before leaving the room. The moment he first heard Elphaba cry out, he started pacing, nervous and giddy at the same time. It was happening. It was really happening, and now all he could do was wait.

* * *

**And that led up to the very first chapter again.**


	9. Do You Believe In Magic?

**AN: Yes, I do like making you cry.**

**Vinkunwildflowerqueen: I have a name in mind, but you'll find out later. It's one I used in a story of mine before and I really liked... I think you said you liked it back then, too.**

**Virtual cake (or pie) for Doglover645 for being the 100th reviewer! :)**

* * *

**9\. Do You Believe In Magic?**

_Five years later_

Glinda appeared in the reception hall of Adurin Iir a day after Fiyero had sent out his letter.

"Is it true?" was the first thing she asked when Lori approached her with a tired smile on her face. "Or has he truly lost it now?"

The queen sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Glinda," she said wearily. "I don't know if it's true. I don't think he's lost it, though… Xalo keeps saying the same thing. He's thrillified that someone finally believes him, and now he won't talk about anything else. Mummy is here. Mummy tells me stories. Mummy says she loves us." She shook her head again. "Between Xalo's young age, Fiyero's mental state, and Elphaba's magical powers when she was still alive, I have no clue as to what to believe and what not."

Glinda placed a hand on Lori's arm. "I'll find out," she promised.

Lori smiled gratefully and Glinda made her way up the stairs and over to Xalo's bedroom.

Fiyero was there, sitting on the bed, and he jumped to his feet when Glinda entered. "Glin!" He hugged her tightly. She saw the hope in his eyes and she suddenly understood why Lori was so worried.

"Auntie Glinda!" Xalo came over to hug her, too, which she returned before straightening and asking, feeling ridiculous even as she did so, "Is she here?"

Xalo nodded and pointed at a spot near the bed.

Glinda was unsure of what to say or do next. The way Fiyero was acting did _not _seem healthy to her, and she was more and more feeling like this was all something Xalo had made up with his five-year-old mind and that Fiyero was subconsciously all too happy to go along with it, simply because it gave him some hope after over five years of living without it… the problem was that she had no idea how to snap Fiyero out of it without sending him straight into insanity. He'd been mentally unstable ever since Elphaba's death, and she was afraid that if this all turned out to be false now, they would have to ship him straight off to a mental hospital.

"She says hi," Xalo suddenly spoke up and Glinda laughed nervously.

"Oh. Um… hi, Elphie." It hurt her to say that nickname, to talk to her best friend as if she were still here… this was crazy.

"She says it's okay that you don't believe she's still here," Xalo said calmly and Glinda swore her heart stopped for a moment. "She's just asking you to try to use your magic nonetheless."

Glinda frowned. "Xalo, how did you know –"

"I didn't." He pointed at the spot by the bed again. "Mum did. She says she knows you and she can tell that you don't believe a thing Dad and I say."

Fiyero stared at Glinda. "Can you help?"

She felt like she had ended up in some crazy alternate universe. "I… I don't know." She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound stronger when she said, "But I can try."

Lori and Hamold quietly slipped into the room just as the blonde was flicking through a spell book. Even though she still could not read the Grimmerie, she'd started searching through other spell books the moment she had received Fiyero's letter; and at some point she'd found a spell called "To Make the Unseen Seen". It was only a temporary spell, but she figured she would be able to use it.

She looked up. "Fiyero," she said softly and he looked at her.

"Don't get your hopes up," she said as gently as she could. "No matter what happens, try to keep it together. Okay?"

He shook his head stubbornly. "You still don't believe us, do you? It's true, Glinda. It's true. She's here." His voice was quiet when he added, "She has to be."

Glinda's heart ached for him, but she recognised she could not make him see reason now – not until she had tried the spell. She nodded and exchanged a worried glance with the king and queen before she bent over the Grimmerie and started chanting.

She repeated the spell three times. Fiyero kept on looking around wildly, searching for a sign of his wife; Hamold had wrapped his arm around Lori and they stood completely still; and Xalo was looking at that spot by the bed where his mother supposedly was, his head cocked slightly to the side as he squinted.

Nothing happened.

"Did it work?" Fiyero asked shrilly. "Where is she?"

His parents approached him and Hamold placed a hand on Fiyero's shoulder. "Yero…" he said, shaking his head. "She's not here."

"Is, too," Xalo said stubbornly. "I can still see her."

"Xalo," Lori said, kneeling down in front of her grandson to level her face with his. "I know you have been growing up without Mummy, and you must miss her very much. Daddy, Auntie Glinda, Grandpa, and I have all been telling you stories about her; and sometimes, when you love and miss someone very much and you wish very badly that they were here, it can feel like they really are here… but they're not. Mummy is gone, sweetheart. It's time to try and let her go."

"No!" Xalo pulled away from his grandmother with angry tears in his eyes. "You're _lying_! She's here, she's right there, she's not gone! I'm not letting her go because she's _not gone_!" He ran from the room then, angry and upset.

Hamold shared a look with his wife, who deflated.

"I had to try," she said softly. "This isn't good for either of them, Hamold."

He touched her arm briefly and kissed her cheek. "I know, dear. I know." He squeezed her arm before leaving the room as well in search of the small boy.

"I'm sorry, Yero," Glinda said quietly, near tears herself. She hated seeing her godchild so upset, and she hated the utterly confused and lost look in Fiyero's eyes. It was like she was watching them losing Elphaba and grieving for her all over again, though she supposed they had never really stopped grieving for her. Maybe both Xalo and Fiyero had been more damaged by the green girl's death than any of them had originally thought.

Fiyero did not protest when his mother and Glinda led him from his son's bedroom and back to his own, where they tucked him into bed like he was a small boy himself. He never said a word and he seemed to drift off to sleep eventually.

They stayed with him for a while, talking softly.

"Maybe we should have someone come over," Lori was saying, her eyes concerned. "Someone who can… help them…"

Glinda sighed and shook her head. "I wonder what brought this on."

"Xalo has been saying that Elphaba is here ever since he learnt how to talk," said Lori. "None of us ever believed him – not even Fiyero."

"I remember talking to him about that once." Glinda nodded. "We thought he was making it up. We compared it to having an imaginary friend as a child."

"Yesterday, though, Fiyero said that Xalo had told him things he could not know." She shook her head. "Like how Elphaba always called him, "Yero my hero", and something he had apparently said to her that night in the forest…"

"He's probably imagining things," Glinda said. "He's twisting his memories to fit what Xalo is telling him, so that he can continue believing that Elphaba is really here. This is not healthy, Lori. Xalo is only five years old, he will be alright – he'll outgrow his imaginary friend… mother," she corrected herself, "and he'll become a healthy young man. But Fiyero… he's scaring me. The way he's acting is not healthy for him, and I don't think it has a good effect on Xalo, either."

"Maybe we should take him away for a while," Lori suggested reluctantly. "I hate to do that, but it might be better for him and for Xalo."

"Maybe," Glinda agreed.

* * *

Elphaba felt like screaming at the two women. She always felt frustrated when she heard the ones she loved talking about her, not knowing she was right there to hear everything they said, and without her having any way to let them know; but right now, she felt more helpless than ever before.

"They're not crazy," she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment.. "I'm right here. Come on, Glinda!" She'd hoped at least her blonde friend might be able to somehow notice her presence, since Glinda also had magical powers; but neither of the two women responded. They couldn't hear her.

She slammed her hands against the desk, but she could not produce any sound. She tried rustling the curtains or touching them – _anything_ to let them know she was there – but nothing worked. She could touch them, but she did not really feel them; and they could not feel her. She had to watch and listen helplessly as Glinda and Lori discussed her husband, the love of her life, basically saying he was crazy. She could not stand it.

And then they started talking about taking him away and her eyes widened. _No. _They couldn't do that. They couldn't just take him away from Xalo – Xalo was the only thing that had kept Fiyero sane for all these years and they knew that as well as Elphaba did. If they separated them...

"That's settled, then," Glinda said softly, and Lori nodded.

"I will write to the institution in the eastern Vinkus tomorrow," she said. "It's a good one, and they treat their patients right..." She looked utterly sad at the prospect. "It's only temporary," she added, trying to reassure Glinda as much as herself.

Glinda nodded, lowering her gaze. "It's for the best."

"It's not!" Elphaba shouted, starting to pace the room. "Why can't you hear me?" she demanded. "Why didn't that stupid spell work?" Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged herself. How could she possibly help Fiyero and Xalo? How could she prove to Glinda and Lori that she was _here_? That her son and husband weren't crazy?

"Please..." she whispered, despite knowing that they didn't hear her. "You can't do that to them. Either of them."

The two women sat in silence for a while, watching Fiyero sleep. Elphaba crept closer as well and her heart broke as it did every time she looked at him. Ever since her death, he had looked like a ghost of his former self – like he had died with her. The dark circles under his eyes that had settled there that day had never really disappeared. He looked years older than he really was, and she had never saw him truly happy since her passing. He was always sad... defeated.

She wiped her tears away. "Why can't anything ever go _right_?!" she shouted at no-one in particular, and then it happened.

All the lights in the room suddenly died as the lanterns burst into tiny pieces and the candles spluttered out until it was completely dark in the room.

Her breath hitched in her throat. Her magic. Could that be?

Glinda and Lori both shrieked and Fiyero shot up, his eyes wide as he breathed, "Fae." She almost cried at that, knowing he had instantly recognised her. He knew her better than anyone and he had seen her losing control of her powers before. He knew what that was like... he knew this was her.

"Yero," Lori began, but he interrupted her.

"It was her, Mum. I know her."

Glinda spoke up hesitantly. "It _did _seem a lot like Elphie losing control of her powers..." She looked around the room cautiously. "Elphie?"

"Maybe it was just Xalo," said Lori. "He was upset when Hamold went after him – it must just have been him."

"He killed the lights in _this _room with a magical outburst?" Glinda asked sceptically, and Lori nodded.

"He's killed the lights in the entire castle during a magical outburst once," she reminded the blonde. "He's a powerful little thing... he takes after his mother."

"I think this _was _his mother," Glinda whispered.

Lori rose to her feet abruptly. "Stay here," she ordered Glinda. "I'm going to check on Xalo and Hamold."

Glinda nodded and they all watched Lori leave the room.


	10. Wake Me Up Inside

**10\. Wake Me Up Inside**

"Xalo?" Hamold shook his head. "It couldn't have been Xalo," he told his wife. He opened the door to the boy's bedroom and made an inviting gesture for Lori to see what was inside. When she peered into the door, she could see Xalo curled up in his bed with his favourite stuffed animal in his arms, fast asleep.

"He's been asleep for about ten minutes," Hamold said. "I didn't even leave the room until you came in, dear. It can't have been him. All he did was talk to me and then fall asleep."

Lori's eyes were wide. "Sweet Oz..."

"Do you think..." Hamold did not finish his question, but Lori understood what he meant nonetheless.

"It can't be," she said, shaking her head. "It's impossible..."

"Is it?" Hamold put his arm around her shoulders. "She was very powerful, you know."

"I know," said Lori, "but..." She trailed off. Hamold squeezed her closer for a moment and together they walked back to Fiyero's bedroom. The prince was still sitting up straight, talking heatedly to Glinda. When the royal couple came in, they both fell silent and looked at them expectantly.

Hamold shook his head. "It wasn't Xalo."

"See?" Fiyero exclaimed immediately. "I told you! It's her!"

"Fiyero," Hamold said calmly, sitting down in a chair by his son's bedside and looking at the prince. "Can you remember anything else Xalo told you about seeing her? Something that could help us somehow?"

"That spell I cast was pretty powerful," said Glinda, musing. "It should have worked. At least temporarily."

Hamold nodded. "That's what I'm thinking," he said. "Maybe it _did _work... just not in the way we expected it to."

Fiyero thought about it, but he was so excited and filled with hope that he could hardly think straight at all. "I don't know," he said, frustrated. "I can't remember him telling me much about... oh." His eyes suddenly widened and he jumped out of the bed, crossing the room in a few strides to the standing mirror in the corner.

"He said something about the mirror," he breathed, peering into it intently. "He said that he could only see her in the mirror at first, but when his powers grew, he started seeing her everywhere."

Glinda understood. "So maybe the spell made her visible to us in the mirror," she realised. "Maybe her power is stronger there somehow."

"Fae?" Fiyero whispered, staring intently at his mirror image. "Are you there?"

Elphaba hardly dared to hope. It made sense, what Glinda said... she was afraid that it hadn't worked, but there was only one way to find out.

She stepped up next to Fiyero, so that she could see herself in the mirror beside him.

Instantly, Fiyero gasped and Glinda let out an ear-piercing shriek.

"Oh my Oz," she cried, tears instantly filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. "Elphie!"

Fiyero seemed frozen in place, his gaze fixed on the emerald-skinned woman next to him. He glanced to his side, but he didn't see her there; he only saw her in the mirror.

"Fae," he croaked and then he was crying, too. He could see her reaching for him in the mirror, touching his face; but he couldn't feel her. Glinda wrapped both her arms around Fiyero and sobbed as she looked at her best friend's face for the first time in over five years.

They could see her lips move, but they could not hear what she was saying. Glinda shrieked in frustration.

"It's a spell to make the unseen seen, but it can't make the unheard heard?" she demanded of no-one in particular, scowling. "That is stupid!"

Lori placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, trying to not let Glinda feel how hard she was shaking. "You'll find a solution for that."

"Fae," Fiyero whispered again. "You're here."

She nodded, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.

"Have you been here all along?" asked Glinda softly.

Another nod.

"So Xalo was right, then." Hamold stood next to his wife, wrapping his arms around her when he felt her trembling in shock. He had to admit he was quite shocked himself, but he hid it well. "About everything?"

She nodded again.

"Sweet Oz," Fiyero whispered. "You..." He trailed off, unable to get any words out. She seemed to understand, though. Her smile was sad now and she held both hands to her heart, then pointed at him.

He choked on a sob. "I love you, too."

Elphaba was frustrated about them not being able to understand her, especially since she had so much to tell them; but for now, it didn't really matter. She was already so grateful that they could at least _see _her. That they finally believed she was really here.

"Elphie," Glinda said, reaching towards the mirror, but then dropping her hand. She swallowed. "I've missed you. So much."

Elphaba nodded and indicated first herself and then her blonde friend. Glinda understood: _I missed you, too._

"I'm going to find a way for you to be able to talk to us," the blonde ruler of Oz vowed. "I will find a way. Now that we found out about you hanging around here, we're not just going to let you leave, Elphie."

Elphaba smiled and then shook her head. She pointed at herself and shook her head again.

"You can't leave?" Hamold translated.

She nodded.

"Why not?" asked Glinda.

The green girl raised an eyebrow at her and Glinda understood that the answer to that question was too complicated to express in sign language. She smiled, fresh tears springing to her eyes at the same time. The gesture was just so Elphaba-like... she hadn't even truly realised how much she had missed her friend over the past five years until now.

"I'm going right now," she decided. "I'm getting that spell book and I'm going to solve this no-talking problem. Stay put, Elphie."

Fiyero was still staring at his wife as if enchanted. He watched, transfixed, as she met his gaze and he found himself once again lost in those beautiful, dark brown orbs he'd thought he would never in his lifetime see again.

She made a gesture Fiyero didn't understand and then disappeared suddenly. Fiyero took a step closer, panicking. "Fae?" He peered into the mirror, but she wasn't there anymore. "Elphaba!"

Hamold touched his shoulder. "She'll come back, Yero."

"But what if..." Fiyero's voice rose a little in pitch. "What if the spell wore off, or something like that?"

"Then Glinda will cast it again," said Hamold. "Calm down." He looked at Lori, who still seemed to be in shock about this whole thing.

The prince took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He glanced at the mirror again, hoping to see her there; and he nearly yelped when she suddenly re-appeared. "Fae!"

At the same moment, a small voice said, "Daddy?"

Fiyero turned around to find Xalo coming into the room, looking sleepy.

"Mum woke me up," he explained as he approached his father, clutching his stuffed animal in one hand. "She said you can finally see her."

Fiyero grinned widely as he lifted Xalo up onto his hip and looked back at the mirror. He understood where she had gone now.

Xalo smiled when he saw his mother. "Hi, Mum."

Elphaba's lips moved and the boy's smile widened. "So they'll be able to hear you soon, too?"

She said something else, to which Xalo replied confidently, "Of course she'll find a way. Auntie Glinda is awesome."

It was rather amazing to watch his young son having a conversation with his mother when no-one but Xalo could actually hear Elphaba. Fiyero figured that Xalo and Elphaba were right about why they could communicate – that it was because they both possessed magical powers. He suddenly realised that in a way, his son had grown up with his mother after all.

Xalo looked at Fiyero. "She says she hopes Auntie Glinda will find a way for you guys to hear what she says," he said, "because she has a lot to tell you."

Fiyero choked out something between a sob and a laugh. "I can imagine. I... I guess we have a lot to tell her, too."

"Not really," Xalo said seriously. "You forget that she's been here this entire time. She knows everything."

"Everything?" Fiyero suddenly felt ashamed of himself. If she'd really been around all this time, she must have seen him at his very worst... locking himself in his room after she died, going crazy and bawling his eyes out... he averted his gaze from the mirror, embarrassed.

"She says it's okay," Xalo said softly and Fiyero's eyes snapped back up to the mirror. She was smiling that sad smile at him again, reaching for him even though they both knew they couldn't feel one another.

Fiyero glanced at his son. "Can you feel her?" he asked.

Xalo hesitated, then nodded. "A little. It's not the same as with other people, though," he tried to explain. "She feels… fainter. A little vague. As if she's there, but not really."

Lori barked a soft, mirthless laugh. "That's a good way to describe it."

Hamold could tell that his wife was still shocked by everything that had transpired. He himself was, too, and he knew the same thing was true for the others. Glinda was only searching for that spell right now to keep herself busy, and Fiyero looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"I found it!" Glinda cried as she came rushing back into the room. She immediately started chanting words the others did not understand and then she stared at the mirror intently. "Elphie? Can you say something?"

"Can you hear me?" Elphaba asked and they all gasped in unison, a squeal escaping Glinda's lips.

Fiyero's knees almost buckled. After not having seen her or heard her voice for so many years, this was almost too much for him.

Xalo was grinning widely. "Now I won't have to translate anymore."

Glinda giggled nervously. "Elphie?"

"Thanks, Glin," Elphaba said softly and the blonde teared up again.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "This is all just so…"

"Awesome?" Xalo filled in.

"Overwhelming?" Hamold suggested.

"Incredible?" Lori shook her head.

"_Weird_," Glinda finished, somehow breaking the tension and making them all laugh, however briefly. All except for Fiyero, anyway, who was pale as a sheet, gaze glued to his wife.

She looked back at him, her gaze soft. "Hi, Yero."

"Fae," he whispered. He looked so utterly lost, so heartbroken and yet so hopeful, that it almost physically hurt her.

"I'm sorry, Yero," she said, lowering her eyes. "I'm sorry for leaving you."

He immediately shook his head, taking a step closer to the mirror before catching himself. "No. You didn't do that on purpose."

She sighed and she suddenly looked like she had a heavy weight on her shoulders. "But that's just it," she said, her voice breaking as she lowered her gaze. "I sort of did."

* * *

**STOP! CLIFFY TIME! *dances to MC Hammer music***


	11. The Way Back

**AN: *hands out tissues to everyone* There, there.**

**Luna the Zekrom: Thank you! I did get the title from the song. I usually use song lines or something like that for titles, because I'm horrible at coming up with such things myself.**

**Fabala123: Heheh, thanks, I kind of liked that AN as well :P.**

* * *

**11\. The Way Back**

They all stared at her, unsure of what they had just heard.

"What?" Glinda eventually asked and Elphaba bit her lip.

"It's a long story," she said, which they all knew really meant that she didn't want to talk about it.

"We have time," said Hamold. The others nodded, wanting to know what she had meant.

Elphaba nodded, too, and looked at Fiyero, keeping her gaze on him the whole time she spoke.

"At some point during the labour," she said quietly, "I fell unconscious."

Lori nodded, looking faint. "I remember."

"I was..." Elphaba was quiet for a moment. "I don't really know what happened. I mean, I'm not sure. All I know is that it seemed... magical." She took a deep breath. "I don't know how I knew this, or what was going on, exactly... I don't think I'll ever know. But I _felt_, somehow, that I had to make a choice. I was losing my baby..." Her eyes flicked to Xalo for a moment before settling back on Fiyero. "I was losing Xalo," she said softly. "I could feel it. Maybe... maybe it was my own magic kicking in, saving him... I don't know. All I knew was that I had to choose between myself and him."

"And you chose him," Fiyero breathed, unable to believe it. The disbelief and bitterness in his voice made Elphaba cringe a little, even as she nodded.

"I had to," she said, near tears. "Don't you understand? He..." She couldn't go on, and Hamold took Xalo's hand, recognising that this conversation would get emotional and that the young boy should not be there to witness it.

"Why don't we give Mummy and Daddy some time alone together?" he suggested quietly. Xalo nodded, his eyes wide, and obediently followed his grandfather out of the room. Glinda and Lori stayed, lowering themselves into arm chairs by the bed, watching Elphaba.

"Why?" Fiyero asked almost accusingly. "Why did you do that?"

"Yero," she began, but he cut her off.

"You _knew _I couldn't live without you. You knew that. I told you so many times. How could you choose him over yourself? How could you _do _that to me?!"

"Fiyero!" Glinda exclaimed, shocked; but Elphaba just looked away, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I never believed you," she whispered. "I never believed you were serious when you said you couldn't live without me. I thought you were exaggerating... I didn't realise until I stayed here, and I saw you, and what my death did to you. But even if I had known, I couldn't have made another choice, Yero! I couldn't just let my son die! And I knew... I knew you'd hold on. For Xalo."

"I did hold on for him," he agreed. He started pacing, suddenly unable to look her in the eye. "But you have no idea how hard it was."

"Of course I know how hard it was!" she shouted at him. "I was there, remember? I was here all the time! It was hard for me, too, Yero - watching the ones I love more than anything grieving for me the way you did, all the while knowing I was still there, but unable to let _you _know!"

"Then why didn't you move on, if it was so painful to stay here?!" Fiyero yelled back at her.

She recoiled, as if he had slapped her, and he immediately winced. "Fae... I'm sorry... I didn't mean –"

"Why didn't you, Elphie?" Glinda asked softly, trying to prevent the two from getting into a fight. They were both just too emotional right now. "Move on?"

"How could I?" Elphaba whispered. "I couldn't leave you. Fiyero, Xalo... you, Glin. I couldn't leave any of you. They said I had to move on or I would be trapped here forever, and I said I'd rather stay trapped and watch over you until the end of time than move on and leave you behind."

Fiyero was crying again. "I'm sorry, Fae, I shouldn't have –"

"It's okay," she cut him off. "I understand. You're mad at me."

He started shaking his head, but she held up one hand.

"It's okay, Yero," she said again. "You're mad at me for leaving you... I know how you feel. I felt the same way about my mother when she passed away. And I know it wasn't her choice, and this wasn't really mine, either... or, well, it was, but the choice between Xalo and myself was an impossible one. I _had _to choose him. You're allowed to be angry with me, it's okay. I don't mind."

"I want you back," he said, a catch in his voice. "I _need _you back. Elphaba... I can't lose you again."

"But I can't come back," she said, looking into his eyes. "Oz, Yero, don't you think I want to? For five years, I've been trying to get back, but it's impossible. I'm dead."

He flinched at that and she softened. "I can't, Yero. I'm sorry. You have to let me go."

"Let you go?" he echoed incredulously. "Now? After grieving for you all this time, I finally have you back... and then you're telling me to let you go?!"

"Like I said, I can't come back." She shook her head. "And I can't stay here like this forever, either. You need to move on, Yero. You and Xalo both. I should go and leave you alone from now on."

"No!" he cried immediately. She could see the panic in his eyes and it broke her heart all over again.

"We have to try, Elphie," said Glinda, who also had tears running down her cheeks. "You can't expect us to forget about you. Not now, not after this. We have to try to find a way."

Elphaba sighed in frustration. "Glin..."

"You may not have found a solution," Glinda said stubbornly, "but that doesn't mean there _isn't _one."

"I searched all over Oz, Glinda! I eavesdropped on sorcerers, I read their books over their shoulder. I never even found a _hint _of a spell that could bring people back from the dead!"

"But there is one thing I know you haven't tried yet." Glinda looked at her former roommate. "A certain person who might hold the answers to this mystery."

Elphaba's eyes were wide. "Glin... no," she pleaded. "It's too dangerous. She'll never agree to help, anyway –"

"Not for nothing," Glinda agreed. "But for her freedom..."

"No! You cannot risk the lives of people in all of Oz for me, Glinda! I won't let you!"

"Calm down, Elphie," the blonde snapped. "I'm not going to let her loose on the people! I'd find a way. I'd strip away her powers before setting her free, or something like that. But I think it's worth the try."

"What is?" Lori asked, puzzled. "What are you two talking about?"

Glinda shared a look with Elphaba in the mirror and they said in unison, "Morrible."

Fiyero paled. "What?"

"She might know a way," Glinda said softly. "I think we have to try it... to ask her. I'll go," she said. "I'll leave as soon as possible and I'll try my hardest."

Elphaba nodded, whispering, "Thank you."

They suddenly saw her fading, and Glinda bit her lip. "The spell is wearing off."

"What?" Fiyero was starting to look panicked again and Lori rose to her feet and placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

"She'll still be here," Glinda said quickly. "We just won't be able to see her anymore." She looked at Elphaba. "I'll talk to Morrible, Elphie. We'll figure this out somehow."

Elphaba nodded. "Thank you, Glinda. For everything," she added. "You're the best friend I've ever had."

As she faded further, she quickly looked at Fiyero, who choked out, "I love you, Fae."

"I love you, too, Yero my hero," she whispered. Then she slowly disappeared.

"Right," Glinda said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm heading back to the Emerald City now and I'm going to talk to Morrible. You guys just... keep an eye on Xalo, and..." She glanced at Fiyero. "Try to keep it together."

The prince took a deep breath and nodded, and Glinda came forward to give him a tight hug and an encouraging smile before conjuring up her bubble and flying out of the window.


	12. Plans and Sacrifices

**AN: Okay, so I said it would be 16 chapters, but I just added an epilogue as well :).**

**DemonCrowly: I promise the ending will be so sappy and cheesy you will melt into a puddle and never get up again.**

**My little wicked: Sorry, I don't think there will be a sequel to _Here We Stand_. Maybe someday - you never know.**

* * *

**12\. Plans and Sacrifices**

"Let me get this straight," Morrible said, cocking her head slightly to the side and looking at Glinda. "First Elphaba ruins my plans with her. Then _you _ruin my plans with the Wizard and Oz. You throw me in a prison cell and let me rot here for six years... and now you come to ask me for a _favour_?!" She threw her head back and cackled. "I don't think so, dearie!"

"Hear me out," said Glinda, trying not to sound too pleading. "It's about Elphaba."

Morrible raised an eyebrow. "What about Elphaba?"

Glinda took a deep breath. "She's dead," she said, trying not to flinch at those words. "She... she died in childbirth with her and Fiyero's son, five years ago."

Morrible shook her head, a glint of amusement in her eye. "Little Miss Elphaba. So powerful, so strong, striking terror into the hearts of Ozians at the mere mention of her name... I always imagined she would be shot down by the Gale Force, or perhaps burn at the stake. I thought she would die in a more... impressive way than bleeding out during childbirth. You know, that she would go out with a _bang_." She chuckled. "It's a bit of an anticlimax, don't you think?"

Glinda's eyes flashed, but she kept herself in check.

"Forgive me, Miss Glinda, if I am not too sorry to hear about this," Morrible said sarcastically. "Although I am curious now why you bring this up if she died five years ago. What does it matter?"

"We..." Glinda bit her lip, then blurted it out. "We recently found out that her spirit is still here."

Morrible did not really seem shocked by that; just slightly surprised. "Well, she always was stubborn. I did not imagine that to be any different in death."

"And we want to bring her back," Glinda added.

Morrible stared at her for a moment.

Then she burst out laughing again.

"You want to bring back your friend who has been dead for _five years_?!" she demanded, cackling with glee. "That is the most amusing thing I have heard in a long time, dearie!"

Glinda scowled.

"Miss Glinda," Morrible said, shaking her head and still chuckling, "you are about five years late for that. Do I know how to bring people back from the dead? Not exactly. But between my power and Elphaba's, I could probably have figured out a way – returned her to her own body, at least." She looked at Glinda in amusement. "You wouldn't want her to return to her body after five years, trust me."

Glinda bit her lip, realising that Morrible was right. "Can't we... I don't know... make her a new body?" she asked pleadingly. "Isn't there any other way?"

"You could put her into somebody else's body," Morrible said drily, "if that other person is willing to give up her body to Elphaba. Or his body, of course," she added. She doubled over with laughter in unholy glee. "Oh, could you imagine that? Miss Elphaba, trapped in the body of a man!" She cackled again and Glinda, fed up with it, slammed her wand against the bars of Morrible's cell.

"Shut up!" she shouted. "Shut up, Morrible! I'm sick and tired of you! Tell me if you can help me or not!"

Morrible looked her in the eye.

"Unless you find me a body," she said slowly, "I cannot help you. And even if you _do _find me a body, there's no guarantee I _will _help you. I don't do favours, Miss Glinda. Should you want me to do something – perform a spell, or give you advice – then I want something in return."

"Your freedom," Glinda filled in.

Morrible nodded. "That would be a start, yes."

The blonde sighed, biting her lip again.

"There are many kinds of magic, and I don't know about them all by far," Morrible said. "I do know where you could find people, sorcerers or witches, possibly capable of helping you... but why would I tell you? Like I said, dearie, I don't specialise in favours. I might give you a hint if you set me free, but I might also keep my mouth shut. I value my freedom, that much is true, but I know you would never just let me walk out of here with my magic still intact – even you are too smart for that. Aside from that all, you can probably understand that I do not particularly want Miss Elphaba to come back to life. She ruined everything for me and I'm glad she got what she deserved."

"I... I need to think about this," Glinda said, trying to hold back either tears or frustrated screams, she wasn't sure which. She turned around and left the dungeons.

Back in her quarters, she paced up and down the room, thinking about everything Morrible had just told her. What could they do? Elphaba could never return to her own body, but who would be willing to give up his or her body? Not to mention that it would be incredibly weird for Elphaba to live her life in someone else's body...

But no – that didn't matter. What mattered was that Elphaba would be brought back to life. For Fiyero and for Xalo. They couldn't lose her. Not now that they knew she had never truly been gone.

Glinda sank down in the window seat, staring out across the Emerald City, lost in thought. Was there a way to conjure up a body for Elphaba? It seemed crazy – but then again, a lot of the things they had all been through were crazy. Flying bubbles and talking scarecrows were crazy. Enchanted shoes and corrupt Wizards were crazy. People's spirits hanging around a castle five years after they had died, not to mention their children being able to talk to them – _that _was crazy. The word "crazy" had lost its meaning to Glinda a long time ago.

"The Grimmerie," she said out loud. Maybe there was something in that book that could help her. She couldn't read it, but Elphaba could. Her excitement grew when she realised that if she cast the spell again that would allow her to hear Elphaba speak, they could search the Grimmerie together. Elphaba could tell her what the spells meant and they could try to find a way to solve all this!

Filled with fresh hope and optimistic that this could work, she conjured up her bubble once more and flew back over to the Vinkus, intending to set her plan into motion right away.

* * *

"Nothing." Glinda sighed and leant her head on her arms, tired and frustrated. "How can there be nothing?"

"I should go," Elphaba said beside her. The blonde still found it a very strange thing to be talking to someone she could not see, but it was better than not being able to talk to Elphaba at all. "This... this isn't good for any of you."

"Go?" Glinda raised her head. "What do you mean, go? Go where?"

"Bother someone else, I guess." Elphaba sounded defeated. "I can't move on, but I can't stay here, either. Not anymore. Glin, Fiyero will never really live again as long as he knows that I'm still here, but he can't see me."

"He never started living again after you died." Glinda frowned, a little angry. "And what about Xalo? You've been there for him his entire life, even though we did not know that. You can't just abandon him."

"Then what am I supposed to do?!"

"I don't _know_, Elphie!" Glinda cried out in frustration. "But I'm not going to give up on you! There _has _to be a way to bring you back!"

"There isn't." Even though Glinda could not see her friend, she was pretty sure Elphaba was shaking her head right now. "Not unless you know someone willing to give up their body for me!"

"But surely there must be another way..." Glinda trailed off when Elphaba's words got through to her. "What if there is?"

"What?" Elphaba sounded startled. "Who?"

Glinda blinked and then nodded slowly. "It wouldn't be the same for you, to be stuck in someone else's body, but still..."

"What is your plan, Glinda? I don't want to force someone to –"

"We wouldn't be forcing anyone into anything." She rose to her feet slowly. "I've got to talk to Fiyero and his parents. I'll be right back."

"Glinda, wait –"

But the blonde had already hurried out the door. She was pretty sure Elphaba would follow her, anyway.

"Lori?" Glinda called. "Hamold?"

"In here!" she heard the king reply and she followed his voice into a room. The pair was sitting there with Fiyero, talking softly; Xalo was playing in a corner.

"I know where we can find a body for Elphie," Glinda said.

Lori looked surprised. "You do?"

"Where?" Fiyero asked excitedly, and Glinda took a deep breath.

"Me."

They all stared at her.

Elphaba was the first to speak up. "No."

Everyone jumped, because no-one – except for Xalo and Glinda – had realised she was even there.

"Yes," Glinda said defensively. "Elphie –"

"No, Glinda. I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself for me. I can't. I could never live with myself."

"But it's brilliant! Elphie, please –"

"No. This is not even up for debate."

"As much as it hurts to say this, Glin... I agree," Fiyero said softly. "We can't let you give up your own life. Not even for Fae."

Glinda stomped her foot. "Why won't you even consider this?!"

"Because we love you," Fiyero said simply.

"You're my best friend, Glin," said Elphaba. "Like I said, I could never live with myself if I let you do this."

Glinda sighed and fell down into a chair. "But it might be our only chance! I don't know what else to do, Elphie!" she said, near tears. "If the Grimmerie doesn't hold the answers..."

"You found nothing, then?" asked Hamold and Glinda shook her head miserably.

"Nothing whatsoever."

"We have to keep looking," Fiyero insisted. "Or, well... _you _do, obviously. I mean... there has to be a way."

"I hope so, too, Fiyero," said Glinda. "But to be completely honest, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Don't give up," Hamold said encouragingly.

"The contents of the Grimmerie change sometimes," Elphaba agreed. "Maybe we'll find something tomorrow." Her voice sounded softer and her next words confirmed Glinda's suspicion. "The spell is wearing off again. You get some rest – we'll continue in the morning, okay?"

"Okay," Glinda whispered, but she did not have much hope.

Elphaba fell silent and the blonde sighed. Fiyero lowered his eyes and Lori asked quietly, "Do you think there is a way, Glinda?"

"I don't know." Glinda shook her head. "I really don't. I have no experience with the Grimmerie... if Elphie believes there is a way, then so do I; but she seems so hopeless herself. She was already talking about leaving us all."

"What?" Fiyero shot up, but Glinda threw him a look.

"Calm down, Fiyero. She's not going to." Her jaw tightened in determination. "I won't let her."

He sank back onto the couch. Xalo came padding over to his father, crawling onto Fiyero's lap and wrapping his small arms around the prince's neck.

"Don't be sad, Daddy," he said. "We'll get Mum back."

Fiyero couldn't help but smile at that, albeit a bit sadly, and he hugged his son tightly. "I know, bug. We're going to try our best."

"He could help," Glinda spoke up thoughtfully.

Fiyero looked at her over his son's shoulder. "What?"

"Xalo." Glinda looked at him. "He could help. We wouldn't need Morrible. If we can find a way to bring Elphaba back and we need a lot of power to do so, we could use his powers, too."

"And yours, and possibly even Elphaba's..." Hamold nodded slowly. "That could work."

"It wouldn't be dangerous for Xalo, would it?" Lori asked in concern, but Glinda shook her head.

"Never," she assured Lori. "We would never take the risk of something happening to Xalo, Lori. You should know that."

"What's the use, though," Fiyero asked quietly, "if we don't have a spell to perform?"

"We'll find a spell to perform," Glinda said determinedly. "We will if it's the last thing I _ever _do."

* * *

**Favourite lines?**


	13. Hope

**AN: Can I just squeal for a moment about the fact that Fermataoso reviewed my story? *squeals* Haha, sorry, I'm just a -huge- fan of your writing - I think I've read most of your stories at least five times already!**

**I kind of agreed with Morrible, too, about Elphaba's death being anticlimactic.**

* * *

**13\. Hope**

Xalo's face brightened when he walked into the garden with his grandfather and saw his mother sitting on a stone bench. "Mum!"

She turned around and smiled widely. "Hello there, little one."

He let go of Hamold's hand and ran towards the cemetery, climbing onto the bench next to Elphaba and looking at her in excitement. "Did you and Auntie Glinda find a way to get you back yet?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, sweetie."

Xalo sighed. His grandfather sat down next to him, looking to the side. "Elphaba is here?"

Xalo nodded and Hamold smiled. "I'm glad you can see her, Xalo," he said, running a hand over his grandson's head. "I'm glad you didn't have to grow up without a mother." He hesitated for a moment and then added, "Hi, Elphaba."

"She says hi back," Xalo informed him and Hamold shook his head.

"It's a strange situation, isn't it, kid?"

Xalo nodded. "Grandpa?"

"Yes, son?"

"Do you think Mum and Auntie Glinda will find a way to bring her back?"

Hamold hesitated. He didn't know the answer to that question and although he did not want to discourage the young boy, he also didn't want to lie to him.

"I don't know," he said finally. "But I do know we will all try our hardest to make it happen. Your mother and Glinda won't give up until Elphaba is back with us, son."

"I know," Xalo said. "But do you think it will be enough?"

"Xalo," his mother said beside him and he looked at her. "Your grandfather doesn't know the answer to that question. Neither do I. We can only try and hope it will work."

Xalo nodded, looking down. Elphaba reached out to stroke his hair and she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you," she said. "And I always will. No matter what."

"I love you, too, Mummy," he said softly and Hamold put an arm around his grandson's shoulders. They sat that way for a while, both of them – and Elphaba – staring down at Elphaba's gravestone as they lost themselves in thought.

Elphaba was the first to leave. She whispered, "I'll be back," to Xalo and then disappeared, going off to find Fiyero instead.

He was sitting in the library, curled up in the window seat and staring out of the window. She sat down next to him, reaching out, but not quite touching him. What was the use? He wouldn't be able to feel her, anyway.

They sat in silence. She finally did touch him after a while, just brushing his cheek with her fingertips. A part of her hoped every time that he would be able to feel something – that he'd sit up and call her name, or something like that; but he never did. She was non-existent to him. Without Glinda's spells, there was no way he could sense her presence and that was perhaps what saddened her more than anything. All these years, Xalo had been seeing and hearing her. Glinda had been dealing with her best friend's death well – she'd been sad and she had grieved, but she had managed to hold herself together. She'd been a rock for the entire Tiggular family.

Fiyero, however, was an entirely different story. He had never become himself again. He had been grieving for her every single clock-tick of every single day, not knowing she had been there the entire time. It had killed her to watch him like that, but at the same time, she hadn't been able to stay away. She couldn't leave him. Even though he never knew she was there with him, she couldn't leave him.

"I'm so sorry, Yero," she whispered now, watching his face. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

She didn't regret her choice, though. She could never have let her baby die. Even before he'd been born, before he'd had a name, she had loved him with all her heart. She'd died in childbirth, but she had already been a mother for nine months before that... and wasn't this what mothers did? Wouldn't every mother die for her child if she had to? She felt like she'd had to. She knew she had hurt Fiyero by making the choice she had, but she would never have been able to live with herself if she had chosen herself over Xalo. Her own child...

"I might have found something else," Glinda said tiredly as she came walking into the room. She looked as weary as she sounded as she carried a couple of thick books into the room. "I've used this book in an attempt to find alternative ways to bring someone back from the dead. Not that I've had much luck with that, but it does say some things about making lingering energies solid... wouldn't that work, too? I mean, if we could make her re-appear completely – not just inside of the mirror – and we could hear and feel her, too, then everything would be solved, right?"

Fiyero sighed and rubbed his face. "You make it sound so easy."

"Well, it's not," Glinda snapped before composing herself. "I'm sorry. It's been a long night. I couldn't sleep, so I've been up all night going through spell books," she said apologetically.

Elphaba knew. She'd watched her friend flipping through book after book, growing more frustrated with every minute, until she'd hurled a book against the wall and collapsed on her bed, sobbing. Elphaba wished there was something she could do for them – all of them, or any of them – but she had no idea what, or how.

"I'm working on it," Glinda continued. "I might need Elphie's help, though." She quickly chanted the spell that would allow her to hear her friend. "Elphie? Are you here?"

"I'm here," said Elphaba, relieved that the others could now hear her. Fiyero made a choked sound, like he did every time he heard her. He probably never really believed that it was real. She could imagine him being afraid of waking up and finding that he had dreamt it all, that she was really gone and not even her spirit lingered. She'd felt the same way for a long time when she was with him – afraid of dreaming it all, of waking up and finding herself in a dark, damp forest, all alone, still on the run and without him by her side.

She'd never woken up like that, though, and her fears had mostly disappeared after they had gotten married. Ever since Fiyero had first come with her in that throne room, she had always imagined him to be the one who would leave her. Never in her entire life could she have foreseen that she would be leaving first and it pained her.

"I need your help," said Glinda, shaking the green girl from her thoughts.

She nodded, even though her friend could not see that. "So I heard."

Glinda shuddered slightly. "It's still a creepy idea that you're here watching us all the time, Elphie."

"I'm not here _all _the time," Elphaba defended herself. "And I can't be in several places at once. I was outside this morning, with Xalo and Hamold. Last night, when you were searching those books, I was with you." She glanced at her husband. "I've been in here with Fiyero for the past few hours."

He turned his head in her direction. "I wish I could see you," he said sadly. "Or even sense your presence when you're here."

"Me, too," she said. "But maybe soon you won't have to anymore."

"Come here, Elphie." Glinda beckoned her. "The sooner we get this sorted out, the better."

Elphaba moved over to where Glinda was sitting and she spent the next few hours trying to help the blonde go over the spell books as well as the Grimmerie itself. Fiyero left in the meantime, knowing he could not just sit there and listen to her voice without interrupting what she and Glinda were doing. He went to find Xalo instead, playing with him and reading to him for a while; but there was a tension in the air that they all felt.

They all knew the chances of Elphaba and Glinda actually finding something were very slim. Some – like Elphaba herself – were more realistic about that than others. Xalo was one hundred percent convinced that they would find a way to bring his mother back, while in Fiyero's case, it was more hope than certainty. His parents tried to temper their enthusiasm a little, trying to prepare them for the worst, but neither Xalo nor Fiyero was willing to listen – Xalo because he knew for sure that his grandparents were wrong, and Fiyero because his hope of them finding a solution was the only thing that kept him going. He didn't know what would happen if they couldn't find a way to solve this and quite frankly, he didn't want to think about it, either.

* * *

"Grandma?" Xalo tugged at the blankets. "Grandma?"

Lori groaned and opened her eyes, smiling wearily when she saw her grandson standing there. "Hey, sweetie. What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" she asked as she blinked and pushed herself into a sitting position, trying to wake herself up a bit more.

Xalo shook his head and only now did she see that his face was streaked with tears.

"It's Mummy," he said, sniffling. "She's gone."

Lori was wide awake immediately.

"Gone?" she asked, sitting up straight and looking at the young boy. "What do you mean, gone?"

Xalo shrugged helplessly. "She said..." He sniffled again. "She said she was sorry and that she loves me very much, but that she's holding us all back and that... that Auntie Glinda won't be able to find a way to bring Mum back, anyway, because there isn't one. A way, I mean." He wiped at his cheek with the sleeve of his pyjamas. "She told me she'd still visit me, but that she's going to go away for a while and that we have to move on without her, especially Dad... I don't want to move on without her, Grandma, and Daddy doesn't, either!"

Lori's heart ached for the young boy. "Oh, Xalo..." She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Do you think she's right?" he asked in a small voice. "That there really isn't a way to bring her back?"

"I don't know," Lori whispered. "I don't know, sweetheart... but I think it's very hard for Mummy to be here all the time and see how sad we are that she's not here anymore."

"But she _is _here!" Xalo cried. "And she can come back!"

"We're not giving up," Lori promised him. "Auntie Glinda can keep looking for a way. You know that, right?"

He nodded, his face lighting up. "I'll help her."

"That's my boy." Lori hugged him again. "You can sleep here in the big bed if you want to, okay? I'm going to talk to your auntie Glinda."

Xalo nodded, yawning. "Okay."

Lori put on a robe and went to find Glinda, hoping with all her heart that they had not seen and heard Elphaba for the last time.


	14. When She's Gone

**14\. When She's Gone**

"But... she can't be gone!" Glinda exclaimed, her eyes wide. "She can't be! We were almost there! How could she just give up like that?"

"It must have gotten too painful for her," Hamold said. He sighed. "I just don't know how to tell Fiyero about this... he will be devastated. Even more so than he already is."

Glinda glanced out of the window, where she could just see Lori, Fiyero, and Xalo together. Xalo had promised that he wouldn't say anything about Elphaba's disappearance to Fiyero for now while his grandparents and Glinda worked out what to do.

Fiyero was currently running after his son in a game of tag, both of them laughing, and the sight broke Glinda's heart. She so rarely saw Fiyero laugh these days. How could she just take his heart and shatter it all over again?

"I must find a way." Glinda shook her head and turned around, striding back to the table she had been sitting at and picking up the Grimmerie once more. "I just have to, Hamold. Now more than ever."

"What if Elphaba is right?" the king asked. "What if there isn't one?"

Glinda didn't reply and he understood that she didn't know the answer to that question, either. They were all grasping for straws now, but Glinda was right: they could not give up.

The other three came inside not long after that and the first question from Fiyero's lips was an eager, "Is she here?"

Hamold and Lori exchanged a look and Glinda said softly, "Not right now."

Xalo bounded over to where the blonde was sitting. "What are you doing, Auntie Glinda? Is that the Gr-" He furrowed his brow, trying to remember the word. "The Gri-"

"The Grimmerie," Glinda helped him with a smile. "Yes, that's it."

"Can I see?" Xalo asked excitedly and Glinda pulled him into her lap, showing him the Grimmerie. She herself could still not understand the majority of it, but she was going over it anyway, trying to deduce the meanings of the spells by the few words she could decipher.

"This is so cool!" Xalo studied the ancient pages with the enthusiasm only a five-year-old could possess. "What's this one for?"

"It doesn't say, hon," Glinda said. "The spells in the Grimmerie don't exactly have titles and explanations that tell us what they are for."

Xalo wrinkled his nose. "That's stupid."

"I agree," Glinda said with a small smile.

"Maybe we should just cast them all, then, and see which ones do what!" the boy suggested enthusiastically. "Like this one. _Dah Calda Nahmen Tum Ah –_"

"Let's not do that," Lori interrupted him sternly, plucking him from Glinda's lap and taking him away from the Grimmerie. Glinda, however, had frozen in place; and she met Fiyero's eyes across the room, the prince looking equally as shocked.

"Didn't you and Fae always say...?" Fiyero began.

Glinda nodded. "Yes."

"So Xalo...?"

"He _is _her son, after all," Glinda muttered, more to herself than to Fiyero. "It makes sense."

"So he can...?"

"I think he can, yes."

"Um, excuse me." Hamold waved a hand at Glinda. "What's going on?"

"The spells in the Grimmerie are written in an ancient, lost language," Glinda said quietly. "It takes ages to be able to learn how to read them, let alone cast them. I've been pouring over this book many times before, but I still can't read any spells; and even Madame Morrible took years to learn a spell or two." She glanced at Xalo. "The only person who could ever read the spells from the Grimmerie at first sight... well... that was Elphie."

"And now Xalo can, too?" Lori asked and Glinda nodded.

"That seems to be the case, yes." She furrowed her brow. "I didn't even know that children could already read at age five. I don't think I could."

"I didn't learn how to read until I was seven," Fiyero said wryly, "but you're forgetting for a moment who this one's mother was. Is," he corrected himself quickly, looking horrified at his own slip-up. "She _is _his mother."

Hamold put an arm around his son's shoulders. "Maybe this is just the breakthrough we needed."

Glinda's eyes were shining as she nodded. "He can help me!"

"I can?" Xalo asked eagerly. "Really?"

Glinda nodded. "Yes. I can't read these spells by myself, Xalo –"

"And without Mum here to help you, you need someone who can read them," the boy filled in. "I really want to help, Auntie Glinda."

"Of course. Come here." Glinda set him back into her lap. "But no reading spells out loud, understood?"

"Okay." Xalo nodded and started studying the Grimmerie again.

Fiyero, meanwhile, had grown pale. "What did he mean?" he asked, trying his hardest not to panic, but not entirely succeeding. "She's not here anymore? She'll come back, right?"

Lori and Hamold exchanged a look and Hamold beckoned his son. "Yero, we need to talk." He led him out of the room.

Glinda looked at Lori guiltily. "Is it bad that I feel a little relieved that I don't have to be the one to tell him?" she asked.

Lori sighed. "Maybe, but I feel the same way." She shook her head. "We all love him, Glinda, but you know as well as we do that it's not easy dealing with him. He tries his hardest, but it's horrible to see him like this every single day. I just... I don't know what to do, Glinda." She sank down into a chair and buried her face in her hands. "I'm his mother," she said, her voice muffled by her hands. "He's my _son_. I'm supposed to make him happy, to comfort him when he's sad, and to take away his pain... I've felt so _helpless _for these past five years. You can't imagine what it's like..." She trailed off.

Glinda didn't know exactly how it must feel for Lori, but her heart ached for the queen nonetheless. She knew her own momsie had also always tried her best to make Glinda happy, and she had mostly succeeded.

"It's not all up to you and Hamold," the blonde said. "I understand how hard it must be, Lori, but... but there are types of hurt that are too bad for you to be able to take them away. Sometimes you just can't comfort someone, no matter how hard you try. I know you and Hamold have always tried your best with him. He knows that, too, and he's grateful for that. But... he loved – _loves_," she corrected herself, "her more than anything in the world, more than life itself. He sacrificed his own life for her all those years ago and I know he would do it again in a heartbeat. Elphie doesn't believe in all this, but I think they're soul mates. And if you love someone so deeply, only to have them ripped away from you in the most terrible way – especially after everything they had already been through together..." She shook her head. "I don't think that pain will ever truly go away."

"Don't cry, Grandma," Xalo said suddenly, looking up from the book. "Auntie Glinda and I will bring Mum back and then Daddy won't be sad anymore!" He read aloud from the book. "This spell is about sol... solidi... it's a hard word," he complained. "Soldi- no..."

"Solidifying?" Glinda supplied, her heart beating faster.

Xalo's face cleared. "I think that's it, yes. And something about... ener... gy. Energy?" He looked up at Glinda. "Does that help?"

She hugged him tightly. "It does, honey. It does. What else does it say?"

She wrote down everything Xalo said, trying to make sense out of it. To bring Elphaba back, this spell could help – if they could solidify her energy, that would give her back her body... but there was more to it. That, combined with the fact that a Grimmerie spell always took up a lot of energy, made Glinda a bit reluctant to start celebrating already. She couldn't help but be wary about this, after all the disappointments they had already faced.

Lori left the room eventually and Glinda and Xalo spent the next few hours, as well as a large portion of the next day, searching through the Grimmerie and trying to find and combine spells in order to figure out a way to bring Elphaba back to them. Glinda realised that even if they did find a spell, they might not even be able to cast it on Elphaba, since she wasn't around here anymore. The thought made her heart sink, but she never voiced her fears and she couldn't bear letting Xalo down. He had faith in her and so she had to have faith in herself and this entire thing, too.

* * *

Attempting to move on was so much harder than Fiyero had ever thought it would be.

Somehow, a part of him had hoped that it would be easy. That one day, he would feel stronger again, ready to face the world once more and to get out there, to make friends and perhaps even find another girl to love... to become king. A part of him had felt like it had been his choice to dwell on Elphaba's death for so long and that he only needed to flip this tiny switch inside of his brain and then everything would be alright again.

It wasn't like that. It wasn't like that at all.

Glinda and Xalo were still looking for a way to bring Elphaba back, but the fact that she had left, told Fiyero enough. She didn't believe in this. He knew she was pessimistic, but she also knew more about magic than the entire Tiggular family plus Glinda combined; and he was certain of the fact that if she didn't believe there was a way to bring her back, then there wasn't one. And so he had decided to try and let her go.

His parents had urged him to go into town and have some fun, and he had eventually complied. He'd been sitting here at the bar for a couple of hours now; however, he didn't think this was exactly what his parents had had in mind. So far, the only person he'd talked to was the bartender and the only thing he'd done was gulp down beer after beer until he could only put his arms on the bar and bury his face in them, not exactly crying, but not _not _crying, either.

He felt weak, stupid, and useless. His parents were ruling the Vinkus. Glinda was fanatically searching for a way to return her best friend. Xalo, at only five years old, was helping the blonde and had been talking to his deceased mother his entire life long. Fiyero, on the other hand, hadn't done anything but mope around, cry, and be the worst father and husband ever in existence.

He couldn't help Xalo. He had never been able to help his son in any way. He felt guilty about that fact, but he couldn't help it. It had been five years, but it still felt like it had only happened yesterday and that had been the case ever since she had passed away. She had left a giant, gaping hole in his heart that took his breath away and he had no idea how to fill it. Even Xalo, his own son whom he loved more than any other living person in the world, could not fill that hole for him.

And then there was Elphaba. Elphaba, who had been watching helplessly for years as everyone who loved her grieved for her. Elphaba, who had tried to reach out to her husband... but he hadn't felt her. He hadn't seen her, or heard her; and the few times he had sensed her presence, he hadn't realised it because he hadn't _believed _it. He hadn't believed in her and he felt horrible for it. He couldn't even imagine what she must have gone through.

Seeing her again, being able to talk to her... it had been wonderful, but it had also torn his heart in two all over again when he realised that it couldn't last. And now she was gone and he knew she would never come back. Not to him, anyway. To Xalo, maybe... but she knew it was too hard on Fiyero for him to be able to see her and talk to her for a short while through Glinda's spell, only to have to let her go all over again once it wore off. She was right about it, too. It felt a bit like losing her again, every time he had to say goodbye and he didn't know when, or if, she would be back.

He shook off his thoughts and downed another beer, resolving to be stronger now, to let her go and focus on his son. He had to be a better father, a better son, and a better friend. His family and Glinda deserved that. He was going to bury himself in them and in working hard to try and become a good king.

He was going to do anything that would help him keep his mind off her.

* * *

"It says et... eter..." Xalo sighed. "It's another hard word."

Glinda gave him an encouraging smile. "You can do it, sweetie. Read me the letters if the word itself is too hard."

"It says "eter"," Xalo said, "and then N-A-L."

"Eternal," Glinda said aloud. "Eternal what?" She bent over the Grimmerie, as if she could read the answer herself. She still did not quite understand how Elphaba and Xalo could read the Grimmerie; it was written in the lost language of spells, but somehow, Xalo was able to see the translation of some of the words in the text as well, allowing him to understand what most of the spells were for.

Suddenly, Glinda realised what it must mean and her heart sank. "Oh... of course."

"Of course what?" asked Hamold, who was working on something at the opposite end of the table. He looked at Glinda and Xalo over his reading glasses.

Glinda's shoulders slumped. "What I mentioned before? Bringing her back by solidifying her spirit?"

Hamold eyed her questioningly. "Yes?"

Glinda shook her head. "It's impossible," she said softly, "because she would not have an actual human body. She would never change – her hair and nails would not grow, she would not age... she would never die. If I managed to do this, she'd stay young forever and she'd have to watch how we all grow old and die, leaving her all alone in the end. She'd never want that."

"She wouldn't," Hamold agreed.

"So all this work has been for nothing." Glinda slammed shut the Grimmerie angrily, rising to her feet and stomping over to the window. She watched the rain fall, drops trickling down the glass and showering the Adurin Iir gardens, the roads, and the Thousand Year Grasslands beyond. It matched her current mood.

If she could not put Elphaba back into either her own or another person's body and she could not transform Elphaba's spirit into flesh, then what solutions were there left?

"I would, you know," she spoke softly. "If it meant Elphie would get to live the rest of her life with her family, with Fiyero and Xalo and with you guys... I would give up my life. I would give her my body. I know I would be missed, too, but... but not as much as she has been missed these past years."

Hamold sighed. "I know you'd do it, Glinda, and I admire that about your and Elphaba's friendship a lot," he said. "She would do the same for you. But it's not an option. Elphaba wouldn't want that. We all care about you a lot, too – it wouldn't solve anything, it would only shift the cause of our hurt."

"Not even to mention the fact that you are the ruler of Oz," Lori piped up from the doorway as she came in. "You're important, Glinda, in more than one way."

"We just have to have faith," Hamold said. "We have to have faith and we have to keep going. We can't give up."

Xalo, who had been following the conversation even though he did not understand everything that was being said, nodded solemnly. "I'll keep going," he said, pushing open the Grimmerie again. "I'll keep going until I have Mummy back."

Everyone fell silent. In Xalo's resolve, his determination, he sounded more like his mother than ever before.


	15. Quid Pro Quo

**AN: The creepy people who love seeing Elphaba and Fiyero apart and suffering will hate this chapter. So will those of you who hate happy endings.**

**If you like happy endings and fluff, however, I think you'll love this one :).**

* * *

**15\. Quid Pro Quo**

"You are her, are you not?" a voice asked.

Elphaba didn't think the person was talking to her at first. For five years, no-one but Xalo had been able to see her and she had grown used to that.

After leaving Adurin Iir, she'd made her way all the way over to Fliaan; convinced that at least there she wouldn't be hurting or bothering anyone. She knew Glinda and the others would most likely look for her in Oz, so she'd thought it safest to leave it altogether. They would all be hurt, but it was for the best.

She'd been wandering around for weeks, not really sure of what to do. She'd gone back to check up on her family a few times, but without letting them know she was there. Glinda and Xalo were still trying to find a way to get her back. Fiyero was burying himself in work and fatherhood, but at least he seemed to be coping, if not in the best way. She was convinced that this was the right decision. Within a few more weeks, they'd accept the fact that she could not be brought back and they'd go on with their lives and finally let her go.

Behind her, the voice that had spoken before added, "The Wicked Witch of the West," and she realised this person _was_, in fact, talking to her. She whirled around.

In front of her was an old Owl, his feathers worn and grey, but his eyes shining out intelligence and life experience. She gaped at him for a while, unable to process what was happening.

"You... you can see me?" she managed after a while and he smiled.

"Yes," he said. "I can." He bowed. "I am from a long line of sorcerers," he said. "Magic is not nearly as rare here in Fliaan as it appears to be in Oz. I have been very powerful my entire life long, and one of my abilities has always been to see what other people cannot see. Spirits. Ghosts. Sometimes the past, or the future; or things happening in another place."

Elphaba thought of her visions and nodded. "I know what that's like." It made sense, she thought, that people – and Animals – here had more magic than in Oz. Glinda had told her that Morrible had said the same thing – that there are other places in the world where the inhabitants know far more about magic. Morrible had been unwilling to tell the blonde where, exactly, these places were, but maybe Elphaba had just found one on her own.

The Owl nodded, too. "I have heard a lot about you. The Wicked Witch of the West who has been terrorising Oz for years, with her green skin, black pointed hat, and broomstick."

She flinched a little, but then he added, "The Saviour of many Animals."

She blinked.

"That's right," he said with another smile. "You are famous even beyond the borders of Oz, Miss Elphaba. You saved the lives of so many Animals in Oz, including my son and his family – his wife and their six small children. Without you, my son would be dead and my daughter-in-law and grandchildren would be locked up in cages to be gaped at by the humans of Oz. Instead, you have helped them escape, allowing them to flee back here, to Fliaan, and build a life together. They live just a few villages over, happy, together, and alive, all thanks to you."

She didn't know what to say, but apparently she didn't have to. The Owl beckoned her and she followed him to the edge of the village, where there was a small, but beautiful and snug cottage built around a thick tree. The Owl entered and Elphaba followed, not sure what else to do.

"You are deceased, are you not?" the Owl asked her once inside, and the green girl nodded.

"I have been for five years," she said softly. "I've been... at home, mostly, watching over my family..." She sighed. "But some things have happened recently and I had to leave. They all know I'm still here now, and it's preventing them from moving on – from letting me go. I don't want that." She bit her lip. "I wish, more than anything, that I could go back; but we have been over every possible way and there just isn't one. It's impossible."

"My dear girl," the Owl said, "nothing is impossible."

Her head jerked up and her eyes were wide as she looked at him.

"Tea?" he asked calmly, moving to the fire without waiting for a reply. Elphaba blinked, taken aback, but the Owl simply started boiling some water and went to take two cups from a cupboard.

"What did you mean?" Elphaba asked hoarsely. "Nothing is impossible?"

He patted her hand with a wing and she was amazed all over again. "You can touch me, too?"

He nodded. "Like I said, I am from a powerful magical line," he said. "And, Miss Elphaba... I meant that I think I can help you, if you and I combine our magic."

She held her breath.

"It is a very tiring and difficult process," he warned her. "It will drain your energy, but you should be alright." He rummaged through a book and showed her a page. "Read this spell aloud, together with me, while I perform the ritual. You might black out for a moment; but when you wake up again, you will be alive and well."

"That's it?" She could hardly believe it.

He nodded. "That's it."

"What about... I mean... don't I need a body?"

He shrugged. "I'm not exactly certain how it works, actually. It won't put your soul back into your old body, though – it will just... bring you back to life in the form you are in now."

"But I won't live eternally?"

He shook his head no. "You'll live a normal life, just like you would have had you not passed away in the first place."

He gave her some time to process this new information as he set to pouring the tea. It took her a while to realise the obvious, that's how dazed she was.

"Um... I'd love some tea," she said, "but I don't think I can touch the cup. Or the tea itself, for that matter."

The Owl just smiled. "Patience, Miss Elphaba, patience." She watched as he enjoyed his own tea in silence for a while. Then he put his cup away and looked at her.

"Shall we try it?"

She took a deep breath and then nodded. The Owl opened his spell book on the right page and laid it open on the table in front of them. Together, they started chanting, and Elphaba glanced at him for a moment.

She was scared. She didn't even know if she could trust this Owl; she had no idea what would happen. Perhaps it would have some strange effect she had not foreseen. Perhaps it would not work at all. She was nervous, but she continued anyway, because she had nothing to lose.

* * *

Xalo gasped suddenly, cringing. His grandparents and Glinda immediately leapt to their feet in alarm.

"Xalo? What's wrong, son?" Hamold asked anxiously and the boy shook his head.

"I don't know," he said weakly. "I felt... _something_."

Glinda closed her eyes and concentrated, suddenly feeling it, too. "It's magic," she said. "A large rush of magic being used somewhere. It causes a disturbance that only people who practise or possess magic can sense."

Lori bit her lip. "It can't be Morrible... could it?"

Glinda shook her head. "I don't know, but I think I'd better go and check," she said, visions of Morrible escaping from prison and coming back for revenge already plaguing her mind. She conjured up her bubble and flew out of the window.

* * *

When Elphaba opened her eyes, all she could see was a ceiling of leaves, branches, and tree roots. She furrowed her brow, confused and disoriented for a moment; but then she remembered what had happened and she shot up into a sitting position.

In front of her was the old Owl, still smiling, albeit a little sadly now. He looked a bit strange, although she could not say why. The book was still open on the table in front of them and their cups of tea were still sitting there as well. She couldn't have been out for long.

"Did it work?" was the first thing she asked as she slowly got to her feet. She felt wobbly, tired, and a little dizzy; but she also felt... different.

The Owl nodded. "Why don't you try your tea now?"

She did, touching her fingers to the cup. She held her breath when she could feel it in all its solidity. She grabbed the cup from the Owl's table, only to find that she could actually lift it and feel it, all of it.

She was back.

"Is this for real?" she whispered, unable to believe it. She touched the tea, which was still warm, with a finger before putting the cup down. She ran her hands down her own body, marvelling at how solid she felt. "Am I back?"

"You are back," the Owl confirmed. He smiled at her again. "You can return to your family now, Elphaba. You can live out the rest of your life with them and be happy once again."

She suddenly realised what was strange about him and she stared at him. "You're dead."

He nodded. "I am."

"But –"

"The laws of the universe, Elphaba." He patted her arm with his wing and she noticed that he did not feel as solid as before. "A life for a life."

"No!" she cried. "I didn't want that!"

"It's alright," he said. "I wouldn't have done it if I did not think you deserved it, Elphaba. You saved my family; now I'm saving you. _Quid pro quo _– you did something for me and now I'm doing something for you in return." He nodded. "My life has been over for a while already. I'm old. My wife has passed and my children have lives of their own. It's alright, really." He smiled again. "In order for this spell to work, the two people performing it both need to have magical powers and the living person casting it has to be willing to give up his or her life in exchange for restoring the life of the person who has passed. We are both magical, I was willing, and now you are back." He touched her shoulder. "You don't have to thank me and I do not want you to feel guilty about this, because I did it out of my own free will. You can repay me by making my sacrifice worth it. Live your life, Elphaba. Live and be happy, and then I will be happy, too." He let go of her and stepped back. "Now go. Your family is waiting for you."

With that, he started fading. She could only whisper a fiery, "Thank you," before the Owl disappeared completely.

She didn't even know his name.

* * *

It took her days to return to Oz and it was the middle of the night when Elphaba finally reached Adurin Iir. The moment she approached the gates, the guards barked, "Halt!", at her; but then they took a good look at her and their eyes widened.

"It can't be," one of them breathed. "Princess Elphaba?"

She gave them a tired smile. "It's a long story." That was the understatement of the year, but she really didn't feel like explaining things to these guards right now. She just wanted to see her family. "Could you wake Prince Fiyero for me?"

The guards exchanged a look.

"How do we know it's really you?" one of them asked a little suspiciously.

His colleague shook his head. "I've been working at the castle for twenty years," he pointed out to the younger guard, "during which I have spent the entire nine months the princess was living here guarding her and Prince Fiyero's rooms. I know I'm old, but my eyes are still good, you know, and so is my memory." He bowed for Elphaba. "I will wake him at once, Your Highness. I don't know how this is possible, but welcome back."

Her smile was wide and blinding this time. "Thank you." It was incredible how good it felt to be back home – for real this time.

She was led into the great hall of the castle and waited there as the oldest guard rushed up the stairs. It felt like years later, and at the same time as if only mere clock-ticks had passed, when she heard running footsteps approaching and she turned towards the staircase.

Fiyero stopped at the top of them, staring at her for a short time. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out.

And then he was suddenly down the stairs and right in front of her. He reached out to touch her; and he _could_ actually touch her. He could look straight at her, and it nearly made her cry. The only way she'd communicated with him in over five years was once or twice through the mirror, thanks to Glinda's spell. Before a few weeks ago, he had not been able to see, feel, or hear her at all, or even to know that she was there... but now she was back and she didn't think she had ever felt so happy. So alive.

The moment his fingers touched her cheek and he realised how solid she felt, he crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair as desperate sobs racked his body. She clung to him as if he were her lifeline and they stood like that for a long time, both of them crying and holding on to one another for dear life.

"Fae," he whispered after a while and his voice broke. "Are you... how..." He was so completely overwhelmed, he couldn't even finish his questions.

"I'm real," she confirmed, a brilliant smile lighting up her face despite the tears in her eyes as she pulled away and cupped his face with her hands, marvelling at the feeling of touching him again after so many years. "As for the "how"... it was an unexpected surprise and I promise I'll tell you all about it later, but not now." Her tears were spilling over again, but she made no effort to wipe them away. So many times had she imagined this moment, and then she had scolded herself for being so naïve. She wasn't going to come back. Ever. She was dead.

Except now she wasn't anymore.

It was like the old Owl had said, she realised. He made a sacrifice to give her a second chance, and she was determined to live that second chance to its fullest.

Fiyero was still crying, too, as he hugged her close again. He was amazed by all the sensations he thought he'd never experience again – breathing in the scent of her hair, feeling her in his arms, hearing her voice in his ear. He kissed her and it was long and deep and passionate, and she kissed him back with equal fervour, winding her arms around his neck and holding him tightly.

"I don't understand," he choked out when they broke apart to breathe. He rested his forehead against hers, his arms still around her, not wanting any space between them. He wondered if he was dreaming. He had to be, right?

She shook her head. "Neither do I, really," she whispered to him, tracing his jaw line with her fingers. "But I'm back, Yero. I'm back now and I'm real, and I'm not going anywhere." She laughed, still not quite believing it herself. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "I love you, Yero my hero," she said, which instantly made him cry again. She buried her face in his chest, hearing his heartbeat. "I love you so much."

They stood that way for an endless time, neither of them moving or saying anything. Then Elphaba gently pulled away from him.

"I should go tell Xalo," she said. "And Glinda, and your parents."

He nodded, sniffling as he wiped his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. Elphaba swatted at his arm. "Don't do that. You know how much I hate you doing that," she scolded him. It was so typically Elphaba, so _normal_, that he promptly burst into tears once more.

"I missed you so much," he managed and she heard the catch in his voice. "I'd say you have no idea, but I know that you do, so..."

She smiled and brushed some hair away from his face, kissing him again. "I know. But you've done great, Yero," she said softly, meeting his gaze. "I know you don't think you did, but... but I know now how much you loved – _love_," she corrected herself immediately, "me, and how much it must have hurt you to try and go on after I died... but you _did_, and that's the most important thing. You did it for Xalo. I'm so proud of you, Yero."

He kissed her again fervently before pulling away, keeping his arm around her waist. She laid her head against his shoulder for a moment before taking his hand and tugging him with her, up the stairs and to Xalo's room, feeling lighter and happier than ever before.

She was back.

* * *

**How was that?**

**Also, I'm REALLY excited, because my book can now be ordered online! :D The website is **** www . bol nl/p/broken-dreams /9200000039747832/ (remove the spaces).**

**If you live in the Netherlands, you can buy it and you won't have to pay any shipping costs; but if you live in a different country, you can still order it if you have a creditcard. (If you don't have one and still want a book, you can contact me; you can then pay me via and I will send the book to you myself.)**

**You can probably imagine how excited I am about this :D.**


	16. Another Miracle

**AN: If the link I pasted about my book doesn't work, you can also try going to bol . com and then typing "Broken Dreams Maddy" in the search bar - it'll find my book straight away :). And thanks for all your nice messages about it!**

**Also, kudos to PocketSevens for being the 200th reviewer for this story!**

* * *

**16\. Another Miracle**

It was hard to get back to the way they had been before Elphaba's death.

Telling everyone was hard enough in itself. After she'd seen Fiyero, she had moved on to Xalo – who, of everyone, had the least trouble accepting everything; he was just really happy that his mother was back. When Elphaba and Fiyero went to the royal bedroom to reveal that Elphaba was alive again, Hamold could only stare at her open-mouthed and Lori actually fainted. Glinda had returned from the Emerald City the morning after that and she was extremely surprised, but also extremely happy, squealing and hugging Elphaba for days after she had returned.

Telling the people was even stranger, although it went better than Elphaba could have hoped for. Hamold reminded her that everyone had known all along that she was a sorceress, which probably made it easier for them to accept the fact that their princess had come back. They were a little wary and some did not entirely believe it all, but the king assured her that would change once she'd get out more. She'd even had to make an official statement, which had been spread all around the Vinkus and which she had used to thank the old Owl from the bottom of her heart. She received a letter from one of the Owl's sons not long after that, at which she was utterly amazed; he wrote that he was the one whose family she had saved all those years ago and that, although he was sad that his father was gone, he was also glad that it had not been for nothing. She'd cried over that letter for half an hour, which had slightly worried the others, but they had also recognised that it must be strange for her, dying and then being brought back by someone whose family she had saved during her days as the Wicked Witch of the West.

Glinda stuck around in the Vinkus for a while longer, and although Elphaba loved to have her friend nearby, she secretly felt a little relieved when the blonde went back to the Emerald City – if only because it spared her many random, enthusiastic shrieks, squeals, and tight hugs. Meanwhile, Lori and Hamold kept giving her surprised looks every time she walked into a room and she often caught Fiyero staring at her as if she were some sort of mirage. It was a little unnerving, although she did recognise the fact that it was weird for them, too, to suddenly have her walking around again after five years of absence.

And not just absence, she thought as she settled in the window seat of the library with a book. Death. She still could not quite believe all this herself.

Fiyero entered the library about five minutes after she had, as she'd known he would. Ever since she had come back, he was never far away. Before, she might have been irritated at that and snapped at him for stalking her; but now she just felt grateful that they could be together at all.

"Hey," he said with a grin as he sat down next to her. He couldn't help but grin every time he laid eyes on her. It was so incredible that she was here again and he could not get enough of her. "How are you?"

She held up her book. "Just reading." She shifted so that she sat back against his chest, between his legs, and she twisted her neck to kiss him gently. "So please be quiet."

He chuckled. "Got it."

She tried to read for a while, but she kept thinking about that one thing she still needed to tell Fiyero and eventually, she gave up. "Yero?"

"Yes?"

"I need to tell you something."

She could tell he was worried instantly and she quickly added, "Don't worry, it's nothing bad." She took a deep breath and turned around, extracting herself from his arms and sitting across from him cross-legged so that she could properly look him in the eye.

"I'm pregnant."

She wasn't sure how she had expected him to react. She didn't think he'd be entirely happy – not after what happened. She thought he'd be scared, for sure; and she was right about that. She watched as all the blood drained from his face.

Then he looked at her and said fiercely, "_No_."

"No?" She shook her head. "What do you mean, "no"? I can hardly change it now, Yero." She looked up at him imploringly, hoping he could see how happy she was about this and that he could feel some of that happiness, too. "I know – I _know _you're scared. I am, too," she admitted. "But... but it's not like it will go the same way as last time. Everyone said it – I was just unlucky, Xalo was in the wrong position, and things went wrong. That won't happen again. I'll be fine, really." She took his hands. "Imagine how amazing it would be to give Xalo a little brother or sister, Yero," she said softly. "To have another baby."

He bit his lip, still looking terrified, but seeing her point. "Fae... it's not that I'm not happy," he assured her. "You know I would love to have another baby with you. I can't imagine anything more wonderful." He squeezed her hands. "But I'm scared."

"I know." She cupped his face and kissed him. "But we're going to be okay. You, me, Xalo, and his little brother or sister." She placed one hand over her abdomen. Fiyero did the same, excited about the prospect despite himself.

"I can't handle losing you again, Fae," he whispered, leaning his forehead against her temple. "I can't."

She stroked his hair. "I know."

He raised his head and looked into her eyes.

"You have to promise me," he began and she lowered her gaze.

"Yero..."

"No." He tilted her chin up. "You _have _to promise me," he said firmly, "that if you have to make such a choice again, you'll choose yourself this time."

She sighed. "Nothing is going to happen –"

"Then you might as well promise me." He shook his head. "It would kill me, Fae. I can't do this again. You _have _to promise that you'll do anything, _anything_, to keep yourself alive, should something go wrong. I know you could not choose yourself over Xalo last time and I understand that, but I _really _cannot lose you again. I just can't. And think of Xalo," he pleaded. "If you can't do it for me, then do it for him. He can't lose you again, either, Fae. He's your son. He needs his mother."

She softened, knowing he was right. He loved her too much to let her go a second time. She knew that if the same thing should happen this time around, he would not be able to cope – he'd either have to be sent off to an institution, like Lori and Glinda had talked about last time, or he'd do something drastic. She couldn't do that to him – or to Xalo.

"I don't like it," she said honestly. She laid her hand against the side of his face. "But I know you're right, and I don't want to do that to you, Yero. Or to Xalo. So I promise."

His eyes were so hopeful she could hardly stand it. "Really?"

She nodded, kissing him. "Really."

* * *

"Mummy?" Xalo asked, levelling his face with her large stomach. "How much longer?"

She laughed. "You asking me that every day is not going to make the baby come any sooner, you know," she teased him and he pouted.

"But I want to see my brother," he said.

"What if it's a sister?" Hamold asked as he came walking into the room.

Xalo wrinkled his nose. "I want a brother to play with!"

"You can play with a sister, too," Elphaba told him, but he did not seem to like that idea very much. "Or even better," she added, "you can be her big brother and help her with everything. Like a knight protecting a princess."

His face lit up at that thought. "She'll need my help, won't she?"

"She will," Elphaba agreed. "She's going to be very small, and you're already so big, you can teach her a lot."

He seemed satisfied with that and Hamold and Elphaba exchanged a grin.

"How are you feeling?" Hamold asked the green girl and she shrugged.

"Much the same as last time," she admitted. "Tired and sore, with a whole range of unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. A part of me can't wait to give birth and a different part of me is just... scared." She kind of wished Glinda could be there, but the blonde had some pressing matters to attend to in the Emerald City and she could not leave. She'd promised to come out as soon as she could and she had spent hours talking to Elphaba before she'd left, trying to reassure her friend.

Hamold smiled sympathetically at her. "You'll be fine, Elphaba, really. We've already arranged for our usual physician to be there during your labour, as well as the midwife and Lori; and the moment something goes south, we will take you to the hospital. It's nearby and they know about what happened to you last time."

"All of Oz knows what happened to me last time," Elphaba grumbled and Hamold chuckled.

"That's true, but all of Oz is also willing to help you," he said. "You'll be okay."

The king left the room shortly thereafter and went in search of his son. He found Fiyero in a study just down the hall, working on something his father had assigned him in order to prepare him for taking the throne one day.

The prince immediately looked up when his father came in and Hamold, knowing what his son was thinking, said, "Everything is fine."

Fiyero relaxed and Hamold looked at him. He wondered if Fiyero would ever stop scaring so easily when it came to Elphaba. He suspected not.

"How is it going?" he asked his son, pulling a chair to sit beside him. Fiyero explained to his father what he had been doing and Hamold looked over Fiyero's notes for a while, impressed by the prince's work. They discussed what Fiyero had done so far and were immersed in the whole thing until Lori knocked on the open door.

"Hello, you two," she said. "Now, Fiyero, please don't panic..."

The moment those words left his mother's lips, of course, Fiyero panicked.

"...but Elphaba is in labour," Lori finished.

Fiyero paled visibly and Hamold looked a little worried, too. "Isn't that a bit early?"

"A little over a week," Lori nodded, "but that's no problem. Don't look so scared, Yero," she tried to reassure her son. "Last time, the problems started because Xalo was a few days late and he was a very big baby. The midwife already said that this one is much smaller and the fact that Elphaba is early in giving birth only helps with that."

"Yes," Fiyero agreed quietly, "but Nessa was born too early as well, and we all know how that ended."

"Nessa was born over three weeks early," Lori corrected him firmly, "and Melena had been chewing milk flowers. Elphaba is perfectly healthy and a week early is not a big deal, Yero, really. It happens all the time. You were six days early, too, and you turned out alright." She smiled at him encouragingly. "Elphaba has gone up to your bedroom with Xalo and she's trying to relax a little. I have already sent word to the doctor and the midwife. I'm sure there won't be any problems. I know you're scared; but, Yero," she met her son's gaze, "she's scared, too."

Fiyero understood what she meant and he nodded. "Don't worry, Mum. You know I'll always put her first, no matter how scared I am myself." His eyes got a fiery look to them and he set his jaw. "But no matter what, I am _not _leaving her again. It was bad enough last time, but I'm not going to do it this time, too," he declared. "It's a stupid tradition, anyway."

Lori smiled wearily at him. "You're right. You shouldn't leave her alone, and neither will I." She linked her arm with Fiyero's and squeezed his hand. "Come on, let's go see her."

Like last time, the first part of Elphaba's labour progressed rather quickly. She was surprisingly calm, as Lori noted to Fiyero at some point; but he disagreed.

"She's not," he said. "But she's very good at pretending."

He stayed with her all the time, trying to reassure her even as she tried to reassure him.

"It's time for you to push," the midwife announced at some point. She looked at Fiyero. "I do apologise, Your Highness, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

He could see the flash of panic on Elphaba's face, very briefly, and he tightened his grip on her hand. "I'm not leaving."

"Your Highness –"

"I'm _not _leaving," he spoke through gritted teeth. "You are aware of what happened to my wife last time she gave birth, right? I'm not going anywhere." He squeezed Elphaba's hand again and pressed his forehead to her hair. "I'm not leaving you," he whispered.

She turned her head to look at him. "Thank you," she whispered back, trying to hide the relief she felt, but he could see it, anyway.

He kissed her softly. "You're almost there, sweetheart. Almost." He pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes. "Fae?"

She gasped at another contraction. "Yeah?"

"You promised," he said in a small voice and she softened.

"I promised," she confirmed. She looked pained, but he knew she wouldn't lie to him. "I'll keep that promise if I have to."

"But you won't have to," Lori said firmly, having overheard their conversation. "You're going to be alright, Elphaba."

Elphaba pushed, nearly squashing Fiyero's hand. He was praying, praying to every deity he knew that she was going to be okay. She cried out in pain and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Yero," she said breathlessly, making him open his eyes again to look at her.

She moved her free hand up to touch his face. "It's okay," she told him. "I'm not going anywhere."

His eyes filled with tears and he sniffled. "Sorry."

"It's okay." She gasped and he held her, wishing he could ease her pain. She leant against him, squeezing his hand tightly, as the midwife told her to push again.

"Don't worry, Your Highness," she said to Fiyero, seeing the anguish on his face. "She's doing great. She's going to be fine."

She pushed once more and then, suddenly, a baby's cry resounded through the room. For a moment, Fiyero's mind flashed back to that time five years ago, when he had been out in the hallway and heard this same sound... he'd thought it would be the happiest moment of his life, and instead it had become the worst.

He shook it off quickly, however. It was not the same. For one because he was here in the room with her now, not outside without knowing what was going on; but mainly, of course, because she was right there in his arms, exhausted but very much alive, and with a look of wonder on her face when the midwife placed their newborn baby on her chest.

"It's a girl," the midwife said with a beaming smile. "Congratulations, you two."

"Oh, Elphaba... Yero..." Lori shook her head with tears in her eyes. "She's beautiful."

"She is," Fiyero agreed, his voice sounding choked. He smoothed Elphaba's hair away from her face, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "I'm so proud of you, Fae, and I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she whispered, gently touching her daughter's tiny hand with a finger. "Hello there, sweetie." A brilliant smile lit up her face as she rocked the baby in her arms. "Looks like we both made it, huh?"

Fiyero couldn't help himself – he cried a little at that – and Elphaba herself was crying, too. The midwife quickly cleaned the baby and then handed her back to Elphaba, wrapped in a soft, pale yellow blanket.

"Shall I get Xalo?" Lori asked and Fiyero and Elphaba both nodded, wanting their family complete in that moment. The queen left, but returned shortly thereafter with Xalo holding her hand and bouncing. Hamold came right behind them.

"Is it a boy?" was the first thing Xalo asked hopefully.

Elphaba laughed softly. "No, little one, it's not a boy. You have a baby sister. Look." She showed him the baby in her arms.

Xalo peered at her carefully, taking in the light brown hair and the large eyes. "I think she looks a little like me!"

"I think so, too, bug," Fiyero said softly, wrapping an arm around his son. Xalo climbed onto the bed next to his mother, leaning into her side with his thumb in his mouth.

"She really is beautiful," Hamold said, sounding a little choked up as he looked at his granddaughter. "Congratulations."

"Mum?" Xalo asked. "You're not going to die again now, are you?"

Her heart broke at his innocent question and she exchanged a look with Fiyero before meeting Xalo's gaze.

"No, sweetheart," she said softly. "I'm not. I promise."

He grinned and nodded. "Okay. That's good."

Lori and Hamold admired the baby girl for a while and they both hugged their daughter-in-law with tears in their eyes, knowing how much this moment meant to her and their son.

"Why don't you let Mummy sleep now, son?" Hamold suggested gently after a while, earning himself a grateful smile from Elphaba. He led Xalo from the room, Lori following close behind.

"You can go, too, Yero," Elphaba said. "I'm just going to get some rest, anyway. I feel like I've just run all the way to Munchkinland and back."

He chuckled, but then grew serious again. "I just..." He faltered, not knowing how to say what he was thinking without sounding pathetic and clingy.

Elphaba, however, read his mind – as always. "You don't want to leave me?"

He looked down, but she shook her head with a smile. "I get it, Yero. I understand. It's fine. Hold her, will you?" She placed their newborn daughter in the prince's arms and couldn't help but grin widely at the look on his face. She curled up next to him and she could feel him stroking her hair with one hand as she drifted off.

"I'm really glad you're here," she heard him whisper.

She smiled with her eyes closed; knowing that what he was saying was true, but at the same time knowing that no-one was happier she was back than she herself was.

* * *

**The epilogue is mostly fluff. I was originally planning to make it a one-shot sequel, but I decided to just add it to this story right away, so it's just a bit in the future and it's some cute family fluff.**


	17. Epilogue

**AN: I realise that the way Elphaba came back was too convenient and kind of fast. I've tried different endings, but nothing came out well whilst still being happy and I didn't want to go through this story, only to have Elphaba still be dead in the end and everyone still miserable. Maybe I shouldn't have written this at all if I couldn't come up with a proper ending, but, well, that's too late now.**

**Here's the promised fluffy epilogue.**

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Four years later_

Fiyero awoke to the feeling of lips wandering along his jaw and he smiled goofily, even before he'd opened his eyes. He could feel her lips curl up in a smile as well and he pulled her closer to him, tucking his face between her neck and shoulder to plant some kisses of his own there. Her hair smelt like the shampoo she always used, a mixture of honey and something fresher, and for the umpteenth time he thought about how badly he had missed that smell and how grateful he still was every day to have her by his side again.

"'Morning," she whispered and he finally opened his eyes, his smile widening even further when he looked into her chocolate brown depths.

"Good morning." He nuzzled her temple. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough," she murmured, kissing him. She'd been having trouble sleeping ever since her return for some reason, never fully able to settle down. He'd been worried about her at first, but she kept assuring him that if that was the price she had to pay for being back with her family, she would gladly do that a thousand times over.

He kissed her back, soft and gentle kisses, her fingers gliding through his hair and his hand pressing flat against her back.

"Fae?" he whispered, resting his forehead against hers and meeting her gaze.

When she replied with another kiss, followed by a knowing smile and a soft, "I love you, too", he marvelled once again at how well she knew him. She'd always been able to read his mind, but the longer they were together, the more she developed that ability. She could tell merely by the sound of his voice or the look in his eyes what he was trying to say.

He kissed her more fiercely and held her tighter to him, needing her presence to reassure him. She snuggled into his side after a while with a content sigh and he draped his arm around her, letting his cheek rest against her hair with a smile.

When he heard excited shouts and giggles coming from down the hall, he cast a quick glance at Elphaba. She had drifted back off to sleep and he quietly slipped out of the bed, leaving her to nestle herself in the blankets. He left the room and found his children both in Xalo's bedroom.

"Daddy!" they shouted when they saw him.

"I want presents," Xalo announced. "Dad, it's my birthday and I want presents. Can I go open my presents?"

Fiyero grinned, his son reminding him of himself at that age. "You'll get your presents, bug. Later." He knelt down to hug Xalo. "Happy birthday. What do you say about going downstairs to make some breakfast and surprise Mummy with breakfast in bed?"

Xalo's eyes lit up. "Can we have pancakes?"

"What do you think?" Fiyero tickled his son. "It's your birthday! You can have all the pancakes you want!"

"Yes!" Xalo cheered. "Come, Lu!" He pulled his little sister with him, out of the room and down the hallway. Fiyero followed with a smile on his face.

Xalo, today nine years old, looked more like a young version of Fiyero than ever, with sandy hair and a mischievous smile. He had inherited Elphaba's love for reading and learning things, but he had his father's positive view on the world. To him, the best thing in the world was practising his magic with Elphaba, sometimes with Glinda there as well.

Little Luaxanna was only four, but she was determined to do everything her brother did and she followed him everywhere. He didn't mind so much; he liked playing with his sister and teaching her new things. Lu's hair was somewhat darker than her brother's and her eyes were definitely Fiyero's, wide and bright blue. She was curious, smart, and playful, and everyone doted on her.

Fiyero let Xalo make some toast and consented to let Luaxanna to help him, as long as she didn't touch the knife, while the prince himself baked pancakes and brewed coffee. Together, they prepared an elaborate breakfast and Fiyero lifted the tray, the children dancing around him as he carried it upstairs.

"Be quiet," he told them when they approached the bedroom. "Mummy is probably still asleep."

The kids nodded obediently and Xalo pushed open the door. Elphaba was, indeed, still asleep in the bed, and Xalo and Luaxanna quietly padded towards her.

As always, Fiyero was gripped for a moment by that sudden fear that maybe she wasn't just sleeping, that she was gone; but he managed to shake it off fairly quickly as he closed the door and followed his children. He was always scared of losing her. Always, and he probably always would be. They both had things to work through, fears and thoughts and feelings, but they were getting there and it was now growing easier and easier for him to push his irrational fears away.

He placed the tray on the nightstand and brought his finger to his lips to indicate that the kids had to be silent. Then he leant over to tenderly brush some hair away from Elphaba's face.

"Fae?" he whispered. "Wake up, sweetheart."

She moaned softly, burying her face in her pillow. Xalo and Luaxanna climbed onto the bed as well and Fiyero smiled at them over his wife's head.

"Wake up, Mummy," he said softly, stroking Elphaba's back. "It's Xalo's birthday."

She yawned and opened one eye, only to find the children sitting there with excited faces. She chuckled throatily and rolled over, pulling Xalo into her arms.

"Good morning," she mumbled. "And happy birthday to you, sweetie."

"We made you breakfast in bed," Lu said proudly and Elphaba smiled, reaching out to pull her daughter closer as well as she sat up a little. Fiyero handed out food and the children happily curled up against Elphaba as they ate.

She shared a look with her husband. They both remembered Xalo's first birthday after Elphaba had come back from the dead. They'd told him to make a wish after blowing out the candles and he had squeezed his eyes shut and done exactly that.

"I know it will come true," he'd told Fiyero later that night, when his father had been putting him to bed while Elphaba leant against the doorframe, watching them together.

Fiyero had smiled. "And why is that, bug?"

"Because the wish I made all the other years came true, too," he'd said, already half asleep. "Mummy is back now."

That had brought a lump to Elphaba's throat and Fiyero had grown very quiet, not knowing what to say.

Elphaba still couldn't quite describe how she felt about being back. She felt guilty, on some level, for leaving her family in the first place; but above all, she was just so incredibly grateful that she'd gotten this second chance with them.

Fiyero climbed into the bed as well, planting Luaxanna in his lap so that he could wrap his arm around Elphaba, who smiled at him innocently before stealing some fruit off his plate. Xalo was talking excitedly about the presents he was hoping to get and Lu put her thumb in her mouth and laid her head against her father's chest.

"Mummy?" the little girl asked, her voice muffled by her thumb. "Will you tell us a story?"

Elphaba hid a yawn behind her hand and Fiyero quickly said, "Mummy didn't sleep so well, princess. Let's give her some rest."

"Will _you _tell us a story, then?" Lu asked stubbornly.

"Sure." Fiyero shifted his daughter in his lap a little. "What story would you like to hear?"

He told her an old Vinkun tale she loved and Xalo listened in interest as well. Elphaba watched her husband as he talked, giving all the characters silly voices and making gestures with his hands and arms. She smiled, stroking Xalo's hair as she listened to Fiyero's story.

By the time he was done, most of the food had disappeared and Xalo clearly decided that he'd been patient enough. "Daddy, can I go open presents now?"

"Yes, Daddy, can we go open presents now?" Elphaba teased her husband. "I'm very curious to see what you got our little prince this year. It's getting harder and harder to top these presents of yours, isn't it?"

Fiyero grinned sheepishly at her. He'd felt guilty for not being the most attentive father to Xalo during the first five years of the young boy's life and ever since then, he'd been trying to make it up to his son by getting him the most elaborate gifts any young boy could ask for. For his seventh birthday, Fiyero had given Xalo a train set; there had been so much pieces of rails that Xalo had been able to make the trains drive all across the first floor of the castle. For his eighth birthday, just after Xalo had discovered and come to love playing baseball, he had been given a private baseball field in the royal gardens. Elphaba dreaded what her husband had come up with now.

The worst part, of course, was that Fiyero didn't want Luaxanna to feel left out, so she received the most ridiculously enormous gifts from him as well; and because he was so grateful to have Elphaba back, he insisted on spoiling her rotten, too. The green girl feared that the royal treasure chest would be empty soon if her husband would go on like this.

She couldn't deny that she loved seeing him trying so hard, though. He was the best father she'd ever seen and the best husband she ever could have wished for, and she couldn't even put into words how much she loved him and how happy she was to have him. After all these years, there were still times that she didn't quite believe he was actually hers.

"Go ahead," Fiyero told the children and they both leapt off the bed and ran out of the room. Elphaba yawned and stretched, intending to get up as well; but before she could, she found herself pinned underneath her husband, who started kissing her neck. Now unwilling to rise, she sighed and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him as his lips travelled up to meet hers in a gentle kiss.

"Can't we just stay here?" Fiyero murmured, playing with the hem of his wife's nightgown, but she shook her head.

"The children will wonder where we are and come back," she told him, pushing him off and then kissing him once more before rising to her feet. "I think it's a bit too early to have that conversation about the birds and bees with them, isn't it?"

Fiyero pouted, but he was grinning at the same time. Elphaba caught his gaze and raised one eyebrow and his grin widened, making him look like a mischievous little boy.

"Later," he promised her in a husky voice that made her blush despite herself. She quickly put on a robe over her nightgown before padding after the children, with Fiyero right on her heels. He slipped his arm around her waist as they walked and she smiled and leant into him, her head on his shoulder.

She knew how hard Xalo's birthday was for him, even though he always put on a happy face and pretended that everything was okay. It wasn't just the day of Xalo's birth, after all; it was also the day of Elphaba's death, and she knew Fiyero would never be able to forget that, even if she were to spend the next sixty years by his side. He had her back now, but that didn't mean the wounds her death had caused were completely healed – or even that they ever would.

He squeezed her closer and dropped a kiss to the top of her head as they entered the sitting room, where Lu was dancing around and Xalo was already jumping up and down impatiently. "Dad! Come on, hurry up!"

Lu tugged at Fiyero's shirt. "Daddy? Do I get presents, too?"

"Well," Fiyero said mysteriously as he swept his daughter up in his arms, "maybe the present we got for Xalo is something you will like, too."

Lu's face brightened. Elphaba, on the other hand, was torn between smiling at the picture of her husband and their daughter together and being wary at Fiyero's words.

"What _did _you get Xalo?" she whispered to him.

He smirked and drew her closer, kissing her softly. "I love you."

"That's not an answer," she told him, but his grin only widened.

He looked at his son and said, "Shall I go and get your present?"

"Yes!" Xalo shouted and Fiyero handed Luaxanna over to his wife before leaving the room. Xalo kept on jumping up and down. "Mum, do you know what it is?"

"No, little one, I don't," she said, sitting down in a chair with Luaxanna in her lap. As she started combing her daughter's hair with her fingers and braiding it, she continued, "But we all know Daddy is a little crazy, isn't he? I think you can expect something big."

"Is that because you died?" Xalo asked, suddenly serious. "That Daddy is a little crazy?"

Elphaba smiled wryly. "I like to think that your father was always a little crazy." She shook her head. "But yes, it's gotten worse since then. You remember that time, don't you?"

Xalo nodded. "He was so sad all the time. And he didn't believe I could see you until the end. I know he missed you a lot."

"He did," said Elphaba softly, losing herself in thought for a moment. "I missed him, too, because I couldn't talk to him or touch him."

"But you can now," Xalo said matter-of-factly, "and that's the most important thing, isn't it?" When he saw the awed look his mother gave him, he elaborated, "Dad always says we have to focus on the positive things, right?"

Elphaba smiled widely. "Would you look at that. You really are your father's son, aren't you?" She held out an arm and Xalo climbed into her lap as well. She cuddled both her children tightly for a moment. "I love you both so much, do you know that?"

"Love you, too, Mummy," Xalo and Luaxanna chorused and Elphaba chuckled.

Then Fiyero came back carrying a box and Xalo jumped off Elphaba's lap. "Give me! Daddy, please!"

Fiyero laughed and placed the present on the floor carefully. "There you go. Happy birthday, bug."

As Xalo plonked down on the floor next to the box, a soft sound could be heard coming from it and Elphaba's eyes widened.

"You didn't," she breathed, glaring at her husband. "Tell me you didn't."

He blinked at her innocently. "Didn't what?"

"Shouldn't we have talked about this?" she hissed, but he just laughed and sat on the arm of the chair she was sitting in, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple.

"There's room enough in the castle," he told her, "and it will teach them some responsibility."

Elphaba sighed wearily. "For Oz's sake, Fiyero."

Xalo, meanwhile, had opened the box and was now cheering at its contents. "Oh my Oz! Dad!" He held up the small, sandy puppy that had been in the box. "It's a dog! Lu, we have a dog!"

"Puppy!" Lu cried and leapt off Elphaba's lap as well, running over to her brother to pet the dog. It wagged its tail and tried to lick Lu's hand.

"Admit it," Fiyero whispered in her ear. "He's adorable."

She crossed her arms stubbornly. "I will not admit any such thing. Fiyero, this is ridiculous. You can't just give our son a dog for his birthday without even telling me!"

"Come on, take a good look at him," Fiyero said, catching her chin and turning her head in the direction of the puppy. The kids were already playing with it and it jumped around them, barking cutely.

Elphaba scowled and Fiyero went over to pick up the puppy and deposit it in his wife's lap. She stared down at the small thing, which looked at her with wide brown eyes and then tried to lick her hand as well. Elphaba could almost feel herself melt.

She sighed and Fiyero knew he'd won when she started stroking the soft fur.

"I told you so," he said with a grin, picking the puppy up again and putting it back down. It immediately ran back to the children.

Fiyero grinned and lifted his wife, sitting down in the chair himself and setting her into his lap. He put his chin on her shoulder and they watched the children playing with the puppy for a while.

She murmured, "Yero?"

"Hmm?"

She turned her head to look at him. "I know I don't say this enough, but... thank you. For everything you've done for me in the past and for everything you're still doing for me every day," she said softly. "I would never have made it so far without you. I also... I want you to know that I really am proud of the way you held yourself when I was... gone." She swallowed, seeing the familiar pain in his eyes. "You were amazing with Xalo. You kept yourself together for him. You're the best father in all of Oz, Yero my hero, and I love you so much."

Not knowing what to say, he instead opted for kissing her fiercely and she complied easily, slipping her arms around his neck and kissing him back. No matter what they had been through, they had all ended up okay in the end and that was what really mattered. They were together. They were a family, and they always would be.

Glinda, Lori, and Hamold soon came into the room as well, carrying presents and singing a happy birthday song for Xalo before handing him his gifts, which he unwrapped eagerly. Hamold tried to make the puppy catch his finger and Glinda lifted Luaxanna on her hip, cooing at the girl, as Xalo opened his presents and hugged everyone in thanks.

Elphaba just leant back against Fiyero's chest and relished the fact that she was alive.

* * *

**I will probably start posting my next story soon. It's called _Trials and Tribulations_ and it's inspired by, but not based on, Disney's _The Princess and the Frog_. It's a very different story, though.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing and I hope you'll stay with me for the next one!**


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